CemNet.com | Cement Freight Markets News

Bears seen prowling the waterfront

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A dull end to September trading saw sharp falls in both the Cape and Panamax markets, down 11% and

Dry bulk rates lose some upward momentum

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Despite a weekly loss on all the dry bulk indices, brokers say there is no evidence yet of a full-scale correction, and with

Steeling oneself for market realities

Wed, 6 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Continued volatility in the ocean freight sectors marks the day to day progression of the Baltic Dry Index

Some green shoots among the gloom

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

While the Baltic Index for larger units has declined slightly in the opening days of March and market interest in both the Atlantic and Pacific basins has been somewhat muted for such ships

No cure in sight for current market malaise

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0000

While the Cape shipping sector has been showing a modest rebound over the past two weeks, lower down the scale the reality is one of continuing bargain basement prices, despite some evidence of incr

That was the year that was!

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

As the year comes to a close, it is worth reflecting on a few statistics from the past twelve months since the market highs achieved in May and June, time charter averages for the four main bulk secto

Markets continue on downward spiral

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

While the Cape-size sector offered a degree of comfort to owners in early December, especially with the Baltic Capesize index posting some useful gains, this shift has not as yet translated into any p

Baltic Dry Index keeps on dropping throughout October

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Late October saw the all important Baltic Dry Index trading below 1000 points. The continuous slump has seen the index dropping to 982 points, from an all-time high of 11,793 points last May.

Markets in freefall

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

With the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) falling throughout the month and accelerating rapidly as we enter October, all indications point to a

A good first half, but what lies ahead?

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

While shipowners may be congratulating themselves on a successful first half year in 2008, profits buoyed by further significant gains in iron ore and coal trades in the dry bulk sectors and some lucr

Pakistan Cement Factory asked to control pollution

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency has directed a cement factory in Chakwal district to take remedial measures or stop pollution causing activities in the close vicinity of lush green Kalar Ka

Freights exhibit summer lethargy

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

A relatively quiet month for the dry bulk markets with brokers reporting fewer ships waiting to load at some of the earlier congested major bulk ports and even the imminent arrival of the much-hyped

Panamax freights subject to downward pressures

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

With dry bulk shipowners continuing to make substantial profits, it is not surprising that a number of industrial groups mulling a move into shipowning continues to grow. Indias Tata Power is reporte

Rates down in the Panamax sector

Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

A steep tumble in Panamax rates pushed the dry index sharply down last week after the mid-sizes failed to hold onto the spectacular gains of the previous tendays. But while the BPI

Baltic gains reflect increased trading activities

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Hard to comprehend, the continuing desire to convert aging single-skin VLCCs to dry bulk carriers still

Pakistan cement exports to Middle East and African increase

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

High demand of Pakistans cement in the Middle East and African countries has enhanced significantly countrys exports by 80 percent in the three quarters of the current fiscal year to stand at 2.632M

Export coal shortages could impact on rates

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Coal markets have tended to dominate the news of late with reports of further congestion at Australia’s main export loaders likely to limit volumes for the foreseeable future with one report sug

Freight rates bounce back in February

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The Baltic Dry Index jumped 1000 points last week as confidence returned to the dry bulk market and expectations grew for more iron ore cargos, especially out of Brazil which had seen some supply disr

Markets show more instability

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Another frenetic week in the dry bulk market with more huge fluctuations in rates and plenty of drama behind the scenes. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) finished ast Friday at 6462, down nearly 1500 on th

Oversupply factors begin to bite

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000

The Baltic Panamax Index went down by 412 points mid-December, finishing at 9394. The four TC’s average lost US$3,400, falling from US$79,100 per day to US$75,700. Last week’s drop in the

Merger mania hits mining sectors

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In a move that seemed unthinkable just a few months ago, BHP Billiton confirmed last week that it had made a formal offer for rival Rio Tinto.

When will it all end?

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0100

There was only one game in town last week: the incredible leap in the Baltic Dry Index. For the first time in its twenty-two year history the BDI breached the 10,000 mark, propelled by runaway rates i

No end in sight to market gains

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100

If any more evidence were needed that drybulk rates have gone through the roof, this week saw the Baltic Capesize Index record its biggest ever one-day gain, equivalent to a rise of 6%. The jaw-droppi

A time for reflection perhaps?

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 00:00:00 +0100

While many shipowners are quietly publishing their financial results for the first half of the year reflecting the amazing levels achieved on the charter market, mining companies have been starting to

And still the markets climb higher!

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The market is fixated on mergers and acquisitions in the mining sector this month with this spectacular $38.1bn bid by Rio on Alcan, surpassing the previous $28.8bn made by Alcoa.

Rate rises astonish the market

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

To much surprise, the indexes published by the Baltic for the Cape market have gained more than 1,630 points, i.e. +25% over the last five trading days, and 50% of this rise was done during the last t

Shipping markets on a roll

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Another week of strong increases and with a rise of 341 points last week, the BPI reached a new record high of 6,283 points (the last record established was on the 1st of December 2004 with 6,110 pts)

Bulk markets are booming

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Its heating up! The growing interest for all parties to partake in the ever booming bulk market is reflected in all sorts of manners. With strong demand and persisting congestion in Australian coal p

Breaking the records

Wed, 7 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0000

This is only the third time in history that the 7000 point barrier has been broken for the BCI.

Hungry for tonnage

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Since the start of the year, and given that the market has not felt any ignificant downward pressure, both owners and charterers have been hungry for tonnage

Spot activity dominates lower size dry bulk tonn age

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0000

In the light of what happened last year and of the predictions coming from both the supply and the demand side, charterers seem to be in the market to secure tonnage for mid and long term commitments.

No clear direction over last week

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

In the same tango ballet that we have been looking at for a couple of months, freight rates have again danced on the same

Upturn in market but will it last?

Mon, 4 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

The market has been desperately waiting for a clear signal since mid-summer this year, and finally this week the Cape market took the driving seat in an upward trend, not only with the BCI breaking

Iron ore news dominates market trends

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Iron ore developments have tended to dominate market discussions over the past fortnight especially with the merger process between Tata steel and Corus going one step forward this week, after Corus

Some differing trends noted in early October

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Some volatility in the markets this week with the different segments showing some differing trends. It seems that forward positions taken on derivatives are partly involved in this upward movement in

Some nervousness lower down the scale

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0100

The lower financial results of some owners have progressively disclosed in their half-year reports and the correction recorded recently on the freight market have failed to dampen most dry bulk market

A steely resolve for the shipping sector

Tue, 8 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0100

With steel markets still showing no signs of easing and steel production in China alone likely to reach 424Mt by the end of this year. Some analysts already forecast another rise in prices for the

Taking a longer-term view

Thu, 20 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Now, apparently is the time to negotiate period business and the larger contracts of affreightments (coa). This trend has been widely driven by the recent upturn of most commodity prices even if over

Steel mergers to impact on shipping?

Mon, 3 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0100

The now approved Arcelor-Mittal merger has provoked a wave of reactions amongst steelmakers; the Chinese ones of course but also the Japanese who are now pushed towards consolidation to be able to pla

Market fundementals promote rate gains

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 00:00:00 +0100

As freight rates are still improving, rumours and discussion are multiplying about long term time charter deals, but further to this seasonal movement another question has arisen: is it the right tim

Time for quiet reflection

Mon, 15 May 2006 00:00:00 +0100

While a clear direction seems still to be hard to find on the freight market, things have at least stabilised last week with very quiet activity. On the news front nothing has arisen concerning the ir

Handy trades influenced by in-bound US cement traffic

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Different companies, different minds, different moods seems to be the weeks characteristic. Within all sectors of the bulk market, companies seem to be looking in different directions, triggering d

All quiet on the western front

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:00:00 +0100

World crude steel production topped 1.1bn tonnes for the full year 2005 and according to the first 2006 results this figure, despite a limited slow down, could reach 1.2bn tonnes by the end of the yea

Markets tending to firm up once again

Thu, 30 Mar 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Tension mounted last week between iron ore suppliers, particularly Australia, and their main client, China, which does not help to clear the view about which direction the market could take for the re

Handies and Panamax sectors start to climb

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Steel, then iron ore and now coal this week has been widely animated by the coal sector with the disclosure of the long term Chinese government program to shut-down 70 per cent of small-sized mines b

Some signs of rate improvements

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

In a week where the dry bulk market has proven that freight rates can react quite quickly to a come back of charterers, all the minds seem to be occupied by one word: consolidation. From the steel i

Rates still being held down

Fri, 3 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Is it the start of a new merger wave? Many things tend to prove that our dry bulk markets have already entered into an M&A cycle. This state of facts is even reinforced by the downward trend recorded