Coal and the Panamax Forward View
The Panamax market firmed materially through the spring on a coal-led move — coal being the sector’s usual swing factor, weak through last year and turned sharply by the Middle East energy shock, [...]
Why is the Supramax market so tight — and where does it go next?
A remarkable run has Supramax spot near $19,000/day. Our model says May is the peak — here's what's driving the strength and why the forward path looks softer.
Dry bulk freight market scenarios from the Middle East conflict
Will the Gulf reopen by summer, or is this a prolonged disruption? We lay out two scenarios — short and sharp vs. extended conflict — and the freight rate implications of each.
Why Slow Steaming Isn’t Lifting Rates
The supportive case — and why it's not playing out We've been analysing the impact of the recent bunker price spike on freight markets. At first glance, the effect should be supportive: Higher bunkers → [...]
US-Iran Conflict: Implications for Dry Bulk
Tankers grab the headlines, but the dry bulk market is feeling it too. We break down the trade, vessel, and charter rate impacts of the US-Iranian conflict.
Trump Tariffs – How Will It Affect Trade?
It feels like we’ve been here before in 2018. When, after the shock and awe announcement of 25% tariffs, the whole package was watered down. For the steel imports, Mexico and Canada got exemptions [...]
2025 Dry Cargo Outlook – Start Of The Year
Everybody is watching Trump's every words since he was elected president. While he's threatened to disrupt world trade with tariffs, we only change our forecasts when these threats become actions. His protectionist stance however is [...]
Steel Export Trade: 101 Guide
Steel export trade can often be in the news for the wrong reasons. Anti-dumping legislation, particularly in the US, gives the impression of a protectionist landscape. As we mentioned in a previous article on US [...]
Does Steel Slump Signal Trouble: Dry Cargo Key Insights
China's leadership is making a concerted effort to bolster its manufacturing sector, particularly focusing on higher tech industries like batteries, EVs, and solar panels. However, this strategy appears to be encountering some challenges. Domestically, [...]
August 2024 Dry Cargo Forecast: Key Insights
Economic News The IMF have updated their World Economic Outlook leaving global growth in 2024 unchanged from the April review at 3.2%. Growth in 2025 is increased marginally to 3.3%. The report concludes that the [...]
US Steel – A Political Hot Potato
The debate over the role of domestic steel in the US has turned highly political. We look at: Controversy over Nippon Steel’s bid to purchase US Steel Tradeviews Perspective The structure of steelmaking in the [...]
UK Steel – A Crisis in Waiting for a New Government
Tata Steel is in a standoff with the Labour Party and unions over the future of the country’s steel industry. We look at: Tata’s plans for UK steel The high stakes poker game in play [...]
Will Agribulk Trade Mirror Food Shortages?
Agribulk trade in Odessa, Ukraine: Loading grain into holds of sea cargo vessel through an automatic line in seaport from silos of grain storage. Introduction The UN’s World Food Programme has warned that [...]
Grain Trade and War
The war has led to the closure of Ukrainian Black Sea ports. Sanctions are starting to block Russian grain trade shipments. Large war risk premiums are deterring bulk carriers from trading out of the Black [...]
Understand Global Cement Trade: 101 Guide
Cement trade in Context Concrete is the world’s most widely used manufactured material. With 14 billion cubic meters produced in 2020, the main uses are in the construction of buildings, homes, roads, bridges, tunnels, dams, [...]
Blip, Blip, Blob – Chinese AIS Receivers Switched Off
In the last few weeks, vessels have been disappearing off AIS systems around the Chinese coast. Apparently, the reason is the commencement of two new data protection laws. They are the Data Security Law [...]
Do Container Freight Rates Impact Bulker Volumes?
The fluctuation of both container and bulk freights rates have led many to assume there is a large volume of bulk cargo that can transition between the two carrier types. For many analysts it’s been [...]
Multipurpose Vessel Insight – Riding High
The Multipurpose Vessel (MPV) fleet is often little understood and a confusing sector. Luckily we have Susan Oatway from Drewry who is an expert. She has just published their quarterly update. Susan has a distinguished [...]
Is winter Coming? The Weather Impact on the Energy Crisis
Long range weather forecasting is never an exact science. Nowadays the boffins at weather organisations have a fair idea how severe a winter can be. They look at various metrics not known to the casual [...]
Don’t Panic! – The Outlook for Energy Supply
We had a strange situation in the UK this week. There was a run on petrol/gasoline. Petrol stations were low on stocks due to a lorry driver shortage. Rather than people using fuel more [...]
Coal’s Last Hurrah?
This year has seen a string of disasters around the globe involving wildfires, drought and flooding. These events have driven environmental concerns up the political ladder and made coal Public Enemy No. 1 for [...]
The Coup in Guinea – What does it mean for Shipping?
The coup in Guinea happened on the morning of September 5th, the capital, Conakry, came under fire. President Alpha Conde was overthrown by soldiers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, head of Guinea’s special [...]
Shipping Decarbonisation – Get the Basics
In our `Learn from the Best` series we interviewed Mark Williams from Shipping Strategy about shipping decarbonisation and the energy transition. In our conversation, Mark talks us through technological advancements, new regulations, [...]
Come gRain or Shine – How Good is the New Grain Season?
Agricultural exports from the Northern Hemisphere's grain season have been facing turbulence under extreme weather conditions. We’ve researched the situation surrounding the coming grain season harvest to bring you an overall picture of the [...]