1. Small Handy
The small handy market in the Pacific witnessed a slight drop compared to the previous weeks. A 5,000 dwt vessel was reportedly fixed on subs at around low $3,000 levels for a bagged rice trip from Bangkok. Many brokers view this as a market adjustment after the significant improvement seen in the past few weeks. To adapt, many small tonnage owners are seeking short voyage charters with decent freight offers to counteract the market downturn. Vessels expected to open mid-June around Penang are planning to ballast to Singapore in hopes of finding scrap or fertilizer voyages to overcome the lack of cargo around Penang.
2. Handysize
The Handy segment saw continued pressure on owners across Europe and the Mediterranean due to a lack of fresh inquiries. Brokers reported slight improvements in cargo availability in North Brazil, which could lead to better rates across the South Atlantic, though current levels remained steady. In the US Gulf, despite the lack of visible activity, brokers noted a change in sentiment with reduced tonnage availability, suggesting better prospects for owners in the coming week. A 37,000 dwt vessel was rumored to have been fixed for a trip from the US East Coast to West Coast Central America with intentions for Ecuador-Mexico at $16,000, though further details were scarce. The Asian market also experienced a quiet week, with minimal fresh inquiries. A 28,000 dwt vessel was rated close to $10,000 for a trip from Vietnam to Hong Kong and $9,000 for a trip from Korea to Thailand.
3. Supramax
The Supramax segment remained stable last week with a limited number of new inquiries. In the Atlantic, the vessel Van Melody (56,337 dwt 2010) opened in Diliskelesi early June was rumored to have fixed around $14,000 for a trip to the Pacific, but no further details were available. In Asia, the vessel Ceylon Breeze (63,323 dwt 2016) opened in Sihanoukville early June fixed a trip via Indonesia to India in the $15,000s. The vessel Eastern Laelia (56,677 dwt 2011) opened in Weda mid-June fixed a trip via the Philippines to North China at $17,000, and if to South China, at $16,000.
Best regards,
