The trials and tribulations of the dry bulk market seem to have no end during the first month of 2011, as the industry’s benchmark, the Baltic Dry Index, is ending yet another week of violent falls, with yesterday’s session bringing the market down to just 1,186 points, losing an additional 3.89% on a daily basis.
It’s pretty obvious by now that the Australian floods saga, coupled with a neverending overcapacity of tonnage is “drowning” freight rates. At this rate, some owners have already began to consider even the solution of layup of some of their vessels, a phenomenon which we haven’t seen since the 2008 and early 2009 global financial meltdown, which brought world trade to a major halt.
Taking a look at the panamax market for instance comes to show the problem. According to Fearnley’s latest weekly report “the Panamax market is heading due South with increasing speed as the Atlantic market definitely has lost its strength both for rounds and fronthaul.
The increasing amount of ballasters appearing from the F.East both for ECSA and for USG are not met by many fresh minerals or grain orders. TA rounds descending towards the 10k/day level and trips Feast approaching 20k. In the Pacific the atmosphere remains weak and rates are hovering between 7k and 9k/day. The Charterers are comfortably in the driving seat holding back their fixing, but the market got a further negative tone as Korea Line were applying for court protection earlier this week. Adding an anticipated slow down before the Chinese New Year and a slowly but steady sliding FFA market the sentiment is clearly beyond bearish”, said the shipbroker.
Similarly, on the Capesize front it mentioned that “continuing full- or part-absence by major Brazilian and Australian miners, combined with the long-awaited collapse of the first sizeable operator, is adding desperation and increased uncertainty to an already miserable segment. The bottom seems to be reached on the WAust/China trade, where prevailing usd 6.65-6.75 pmt is not by far enough to cover operating expenses. With numbers of ballasters on the rise, the Brazil/China fronthaul levels become under increased pressure - down 10% w-o-w to some usd 20k. Short-term outlook remains grim as Chinese New Year celebrations come close - although a mere few brave operators dare buck the trend and book tonnage for short/medium period. 180kdwt/built 2005 done for 4-6 months at usd 16250, 174kdwt/built 2007 done for 5-7 months at usd 18k - both basis spot FEast delivery”, Fearnley’s concluded.
Meanwhile, during the past few days, a series of analysts have given out their estimates for the course of dry bulk freight rates. Dahlman Rose is among the more optimistic one, saying that Capesize earnings will average $35,000 during 2011, up from last year’s $31,000/day. As for other smaller ship types, the group’s analysts believe that they will receive downward pressure. For instance average daily earnings for Panamaxes (and Kamsarmaxes for that matter) will fall to $22,000 from $24,125 during 2010. For the Supramaxes it expects rates to be at $20,000, down from last year’s $20,875, while for the Handy sector it places average rates at $15,000, from $17,675 during 2010.
As for estimates given out by Cantor Fitzerald, Capes are expected to average $23,000, from last year’s $26,500, while Panamaxes will average $19,000 from $21,000. As for the Handymax sector, it’s expected at $16,500 for 2011 (down from $18,000). The analyst gave out predictions for 2012 as well, saying that Capesize earnings will drop even further to average $22,000, while Panamaxes will earn $17,200, Handymaxes $15,250 and Handysizes are set out to average $13,000, down from $14,000 which is the expected 2011 average daily rate.
In yet another prediction, this time from Baltic Exchange itself, Capes are expected to average $26,629 this year and $21,125 in 2012, Panamaxes are set for $20,555 in 2011 and $16,210 in 2012, while Handysize are looking for $12,760 this year and $11,164 next year.