Following high fixing activity during the recent weeks, Supramax owners try to preserve an upward trend in rates in the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Most of them also cite the upcoming grain season, seeking to get higher rates for leaving the Atlantic basin. However, there are still many vessels open in the area. Most front-haul deals for Supramax fleet bss dely passing Canakkale are negotiated at $11.5-12k daily. An Ultramax carrier has been fixed at $13k daily for a steel run bss dely passing Canakkale via Ukraine redel China. A 75-76k dwt Panamax ship has been chartered at $12k daily for a fertilizer run bss dely Gibraltar via Morocco redel China. As for forward shipments of new crop grains, ship owners are seeking to get $23-24/t for transportation of 55-60,000 t of wheat from Ukraine to Jordan in September and high $26-28s/t for shipment of a similar lot from Black Sea ports to Vietnam or Indonesia in August. However, most traders are not ready to fix at such rates so far, offering at best $3-4/t less.
The intermed market still does not show any positive signs. An Ultramax carrier has been fixed close to $3.5k daily for a short inter-BlSea trip bss dely DOP Marmara. Another Ultramax carrier has been chartered slightly above $7k daily from EMed to WAfr.