Weekly Freight Recap: 30/01/25
Jan 30, 2025
PANAMAX
Atlantic: The Panamax market continued to struggle, with limited fresh demand across the region. The North Atlantic saw some fronthaul inquiries, but these had little impact on overall sentiment. The South Atlantic remained under pressure, with a slight indication of stabilization for P6 index dates, though nearby positions continued to weaken. Rates for trans-Atlantic trades remained subdued as tonnage availability exceeded requirements, leading to further rate softening.
Pacific: The Pacific market was notably quiet due to the Lunar New Year, with minimal activity and very few fixtures reported. The limited demand made it difficult to gauge market direction, though sentiment remained flat to negative. Longer rounds were bid well below index levels, and Indonesian cargoes showed little movement. With market fundamentals unchanged, further corrections were seen in the region.
SUPRAMAX
Atlantic: The Supramax market saw another slow week, with the South Atlantic continuing to face downward pressure due to high tonnage availability. Some players felt that the US Gulf market had found a temporary floor, but the lack of fresh activity made this difficult to confirm. In the Mediterranean and Continent, limited enquiry meant rates remained under pressure, with owners struggling to find suitable employment at last done levels.
Pacific: The Asian market remained quiet with the Lunar New Year celebrations keeping activity at a minimum. With very little fresh enquiry emerging, rates continued to drift lower, mirroring the sluggish demand in the Atlantic. Cargo volumes from Southeast Asia and Australia remained low, contributing to a lack of momentum in the basin.
HANDYSIZE
Atlantic: The Handysize market remained subdued, with soft sentiment persisting across both basins. In the Continent and Mediterranean, there was some sporadic fixing, but not enough to shift overall market levels. The US Gulf and South Atlantic saw a few fresh inquiries, but the excess tonnage in the region prevented any meaningful rate improvement. Rates remained under pressure, with some fixtures reported below last done levels.
Pacific: As expected, the Asian market had a very quiet week due to Chinese New Year, with fundamentals remaining unchanged. Market participation was extremely limited, and rates continued to reflect weak demand. With many players still away, there was little expectation of a near-term improvement in sentiment, leaving the basin in a stagnant state.
Weekly Recaps
Freight
Freight Recap:
29/05/25
May 29, 2025
The Atlantic market struggled with weak sentiment throughout the week. Following recent holidays, demand remained soft and fresh cargoes were limited, particularly in the North. In the South, while some fixing activity was noted, oversupply of ships continued to weigh heavily on rates. Owners faced increasing pressure as charterers held firm, and some vessels were reported fixing below last done.
Commodities
Agri- Commodities:
19-23/5/25 Agri
May 26, 2025
Grain markets exhibited volatility throughout Week 21, with wheat prices leading a mid-week rally before easing slightly into the weekend. Early in the week, MATIF milling wheat weakened in response to Saudi Arabia’s tender, which confirmed continued preference for competitively priced Black Sea wheat. Meanwhile, CBOT futures found strength, buoyed by a broader risk-on sentiment in financial markets after a brief dip following Moody’s downgrade of the U.S. credit rating. U.S. corn inspections came in strong, and planting progress remained well ahead of the five-year average, though winter wheat conditions unexpectedly declined. On the geopolitical front, markets briefly reacted to the news of prospective ceasefire talks between Ukraine and Russia, although subsequent clarifications tempered expectations.
Freight
Freight Recap:
21/05/25
May 21, 2025
The Handysize segment saw mild gains in most Atlantic regions. The Continent and Mediterranean moved slightly higher, while the US Gulf and South Atlantic markets remained balanced, helped by steady cargo flows and tighter prompt tonnage. Sentiment was stable to slightly firmer across the basin.
Commodities
Agri- Commodities:
12-16/5/25 Agri
May 19, 2025
Monday kicked off with a flurry of major developments. The USDA’s first 2025/26 crop year projections revealed tighter-than-expected corn and soybean ending stocks, lifting those markets, though wheat futures lagged on a more bearish supply outlook. Meanwhile, U.S.-China trade optimism resurfaced after both sides agreed to a 90-day mutual tariff rollback, triggering gains in soybeans and financial markets. U.S. crop planting made notable headway, while winter wheat ratings improved by three points to 54% good to excellent.
