The Indian Ocean Supramax/Ultramax shipping sector can be called firm this week. Particularly this applies to eastern India, where demand for such fleet has grown noticeably due to brisker iron ore shipments and increased interest in vessels open off the Indian coast from players working in the Black Sea and South Africa. In these circumstances, owners are pushing rates up and often voice quite high freight ideas. So, late last week, a vessel of 57k dwt was fixed at $14k daily bss dely Paradip redel China, while such shipment is already estimated by owners at $15-16k daily. Ultramax owners want to get about $18k daily and even more on the same basis. The contract for transportation of 55,000 t of iron ore from Dharma to China with late July laycans has been concluded just below $12/t. A carrier of 63k dwt has been chartered at $10k daily bss dely ECI redel WCI. Meanwhile, demand for Handysize fleet has weakened in eastern India, and relevant time-charter bss dely ECI redel China is now estimated by brokers just above $10k daily.
A vessel of 63k dwt has been chartered within $12-13k daily for transportation of salt bss dely Bin Qasim via WCI redel PG. Supramax time-charter rates bss dely WCI redel China are voiced by brokers at $15-15.5k daily. The deal for a 56k dwt carrier bss DOP WCI via PG redel WCI is negotiated at $12.5k daily. An about 55,000 t lot of rock phosphate has been fixed from Aqaba to Paradip at $14-14.5/t. Transportation of 50,000 t of limestone from Mina Saqr to Paradip costs about $10/t. Charterers offer low $40s/t for shipment of 25,000 t of bagged sugar from Ain Sukhna to West Africa (1-3 ports in the Nouakchott-Namibe range).
In South Africa, time-charter rates for a 55k dwt vessel bss dely RBCT redel SEAsia amount to $12.5k daily + $250k bb. Prompt transportation of 50-55,000 t of coal from RBCT to WCI is already quoted at $14.5-15/t.