Weekly Freight Recap: 08/05/25
May 08, 2025
PANAMAX Atlantic: The Atlantic Panamax market showed modest stability, with transatlantic activity supported by firm demand from North Coast South America and tight tonnage off the Continent. Grain business helped keep sentiment steady, though the southern part of the basin remained quiet with few fresh enquiries. Activity was limited due to holidays, but premium routes offered some support to rates despite a broadly sideways trend.
Pacific: The Pacific continued to struggle with downward pressure as oversupply of vessels persisted, particularly in the Far East. Slow cargo replenishment and weak demand on both NoPac and Australian rounds led to further softening of sentiment. Owners faced increasingly cautious charterers, resulting in thinner negotiations and little sign of short-term improvement.
SUPRAMAX Atlantic: The Atlantic Supramax market remained positional, with scattered demand from the US Gulf and South Atlantic regions. While there were signs of strength in the South Atlantic, the Continent and Mediterranean continued to lack momentum. Fixing activity remained limited, and although some owners held firm, rate direction appeared uncertain amid a generally quiet environment.
Pacific: Asia remained under pressure due to rising tonnage availability and limited fresh demand. Weak sentiment persisted across Southeast Asia, while the Indian Ocean offered some stronger numbers, particularly from South Africa. Isolated fixtures were reported, but overall, the market lacked sufficient cargo to reverse the softening trend.
HANDYSIZE Atlantic: The Handysize market in the Atlantic held steady with minimal changes. While fresh demand surfaced in the US Gulf and South Atlantic, it remained insufficient to absorb the growing list of open tonnage. The Continent and Mediterranean continued to show little activity, keeping sentiment flat and rates aligned with previous levels.
Pacific: The Pacific market remained flat with no major changes in fundamentals. Tonnage availability continued to build, and limited fresh enquiries kept pressure on rates. Fixtures were sparse, and activity was subdued across the region, with owners struggling to push for firmer levels in a quiet environment.
Weekly Recaps
Freight
Freight Recap:
11/12/25
Dec 11, 2025
The dry bulk market saw a softer overall tone, with Handysize holding largely flat, Supramax weakening across both basins, and Panamax continuing its decline despite some localized Atlantic support. Activity levels remained muted in many regions, with owners increasingly seeking cover ahead of the holiday period. The Atlantic showed mixed signals across segments, while the Pacific faced longer tonnage lists and weaker demand, keeping pressure on rates.
Commodities
Agri- Commodities:
01-05/12/25 Agri
Dec 08, 2025
USDA announced no new flash sales, disappointing soybean markets. Weekly export sales remain delayed and have not yet reached the period covering the US–China trade deal, leaving the true pace of buying uncertain. CBOT corn and wheat eased, while March MATIF wheat posted small gains after finding support at intraday contract lows. ABARES raised Australia’s 2025/26 wheat, barley, and canola output, though the increases were broadly in line with expectations. Algeria’s OAIC issued a soft wheat tender for February shipment, and Russian wheat prices slipped again, with 12.5% FOB for January at $227/t.
Freight
Freight Recap:
04/12/25
Dec 04, 2025
The dry bulk market saw a generally mixed performance, with Handysize remaining supported in the Atlantic, Supramax showing uneven movement across regions, and Panamax continuing its correction as rising vessel supply weighed on sentiment. Atlantic dynamics were split between firmer US Gulf/US East Coast activity in the smaller segments and softer conditions for Panamax. In the Pacific, muted enquiry and longer lists contributed to a softer tone, especially in NoPac, though isolated strength persisted in Australian coal.
Commodities
Agri- Commodities:
24-28/11/25 Agri
Dec 01, 2025
Wheat opened the week lower after Saudi Arabia’s tender came in sharply priced, while soybeans and corn also finished slightly weaker. Market reaction to the Trump–Xi call remained muted, particularly for soybeans, where repeated political signals have not delivered the expected demand. Saudi Arabia’s GFSA bought 300k tons of wheat for March–April arrival at $257.96–$259.74/t CnF, roughly $5–$5.50 below the previous tender, with February slots skipped. Russian 12.5% protein wheat eased by $1 to $228/t FOB according to IKAR, and MARS reported that winter-cereal sowing in Europe is largely complete under mostly favorable conditions. US winter wheat conditions improved to 48% good/excellent, two points above the five-year average.
USDA confirmed private sales of 123k tons of US soybeans to China, bringing known 25/26 sales to 1.94 mmt, with an additional 0.62 mmt sold to “unknown” since October. Weekly US export inspections showed 799k tons of soybeans, 1,632k tons of corn, and 475k tons of wheat. No soybeans were shipped to China, leaving total inspections well behind last year’s levels.
