Weekly Freight Recap: 21/05/25
May 21, 2025
PANAMAX Atlantic: The Atlantic market remained under pressure, with transatlantic activity subdued and rates eroding further amid a growing list of prompt tonnage. Fronthaul demand from North Coast South America provided some support, but fixtures reflected easing sentiment. The bid-offer spread widened as charterers held back, and fixtures increasingly came in below previously reported levels.
Pacific: The Pacific market was largely flat, with adequate tonnage meeting limited fresh demand. Activity from NoPac and Australia remained steady but insufficient to absorb supply. Owners showed some resistance, hoping for a correction, but overall sentiment stayed weak as the market failed to find upward momentum.
SUPRAMAX Atlantic: The Atlantic Supramax market retained a steady tone, supported by demand in the US Gulf and South America. The Continent and Mediterranean, however, continued to lag with limited new enquiry. While volumes remained consistent in parts, the pace of fixing was slow, and sentiment appeared mixed depending on loading region.
Pacific: Asia remained soft, with limited new business and a long tonnage list weighing on rates. Southeast Asia and North Asia saw muted fixing, though some isolated cargoes provided small pockets of activity. The Indian Ocean maintained firmer levels, supported by steady demand from South Africa and into the Arabian Gulf, although overall activity was subdued.
HANDYSIZE Atlantic: 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.
Pacific: The Pacific market also saw some improvement. Tighter vessel availability in Southeast Asia and the North Pacific encouraged stronger bids from charterers. While overall demand remained moderate, the regional tonnage balance tilted in favor of owners, lifting sentiment modestly across the board.
Weekly Recaps
Commodities
Agri- Commodities:
11-15/08/25 Agri
Aug 18, 2025
Grain markets experienced another volatile week as political developments, trade disputes, and bearish USDA data drove sentiment. Early in the week, soybeans surged on speculation that Chinese buying might resume following Donald Trump’s extension of tariff pauses, but corn and wheat failed to follow. Export inspections painted a mixed picture, with corn and soybeans performing well while wheat lagged. The USDA’s August WASDE loomed large over the market, with traders bracing for higher yield estimates.
Freight
Freight Recap:
14/08/25
Aug 14, 2025
The dry bulk market presented a mixed performance this week, with the Supramax segment edging higher, Handysize holding steady with minor gains, and Panamax showing a regional split — weaker in the Atlantic, firmer in the Pacific.
Commodities
Agri- Commodities:
04–08/08/25 Agri
Aug 11, 2025
Grain markets swung sharply this week, rebounding midweek before easing, driven by yield outlooks, export data, and geopolitical headlines.
Freight
Freight Recap:
7/08/25
Aug 07, 2025
Port of Callao halted operations after an Evergreen ship lost 50 containers during rough weather. Meanwhile, July's freight data shows the market stuck in a supply-heavy “holding pattern,” with capacity expanding but pricing rising faster — suggesting a slow, uneven recovery in logistics and transportation
