Global Dry Bulk Shipping Round-Up Mixed Sentiment Amid Regional Slowdowns

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Mfame Editor
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38

The dry bulk shipping market experienced a week of mixed momentum, shaped by regional holidays, fluctuating demand, and external economic factors. While the Capesize segment showed midweek strength in the Pacific, gains were offset by end-of-week slowdowns across key regions. The Panamax market wrestled with geopolitical uncertainty, while the Ultramax/Supramax sector remained subdued with spotty activity. The Handysize market held relatively steady, with limited visible movement. This report provides a concise overview of the week’s performance across all dry bulk vessel segments.

Weekly Dry Bulk Market Summary

Capesize

  • Start of Week: Slow due to Hari Raya Puasa holiday in Singapore.

  • Pacific: Rebounded midweek on strong C5 activity (miners fixing in low $9s). Rates supported by tightening tonnage and coal demand.

  • End of Week: Softened due to holidays in Hong Kong and China. C5 dipped to $8.78.

  • Atlantic:

    • Early week: Stable Brazil and West Africa to China routes.

    • Later week: C3 fell to $21.815 amid weak demand.

    • North Atlantic: C8 index dropped due to excess tonnage.

  • Overall Sentiment: Bearish, with BCI 5TC falling to $18,404.

Panamax

  • Overall: Mixed week, impacted by US tariff uncertainty.

  • Atlantic:

    • North: Weak, rates slipping toward $17,000s.

    • South: Held steady early on, but demand cooled late week.

  • Asia:

    • Northern basin under pressure.

    • South supported slightly by Indonesian coal and South American grain.

  • Period Fixtures: Highlight – 82,000-dwt in China fixed 1 year at $15,500.

Ultramax/Supramax

  • Atlantic:

    • US Gulf: Slow.

    • South Atlantic: Gaining traction, e.g., 64,000-dwt fixed at $14,500 + $450k bb.

    • Continent/Mediterranean: Positional, slight backhaul premiums.

  • Asia:

    • Lacklustre, limited NoPac demand.

    • Slight premium for India direction: 61,000-dwt via Indonesia to WC India at $16,000.

    • Indian Ocean quiet: 63,000-dwt via AG to Bangladesh at $12,000.

Handysize

  • General: Low activity, flat sentiment across all basins.

  • Atlantic:

    • Continent/Mediterranean subdued.

    • US Gulf/South Atlantic under rate pressure.

    • Fixtures:

      • 38,000-dwt Recalada to Algeria at $15,250.

      • 34,000-dwt SW Pass to EC Mexico at $11,000.

  • Asia: Stable despite growing tonnage.

    • Fixture: 40,000-dwt Kwinana to China (Apr 13) at $16,000.

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Source: Baltic Exchange