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Tuesday, 04 September 12
SHIP OWNERS' COMPETITION LEADS TO TANKER FIXTURES BELOW OPERATING COSTS - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
 Ship owners operating in the VLCC tanker markets are increasingly finding it difficult to obtain even breakeven rates for their vessels, as competition has intensified. In its latest weekly report, Braemar Seascope noted that the willingness of owners to continue the trend of fixing their vessels at below operating costs, means that they are in essence paying for the pleasure of transportation for their clients. "By offering this service they are also increasing their maintenance costs, and it seems that for one reason or another, the "layup" option seems to have been taken off the table. There are a few owners who have said they are unwilling to fix at these levels. However, unfortunately for the three or four who refuse to trade, there are five or six who are willing to accept the prevailing levels. Owners have been adjusting ballast speeds to super-slow and other money saving methods, but this seems to be perpetuating the trend" said the report.
It added that "this week has seen charterers fixing steadily, drip feeding the market. Most cargoes have attracted offers until a full complement of 8-10 has been received and rates of previously done or lower have been concluded. Even in the face of rising bunker prices, PG/West has remained at 280kt x ws23.0 via Cape and in some cases, ws22.0 via Suez. This highlights the fact that fixing via the Suez Canal is a huge saving on bunker costs.
West Africa has been mirroring the PG. Rates are very low and flat at 260kt x ws36.0-37.0 for W Africa/East. W Africa/West has not really been traded as a very depressed Suezmax market has been able to fulfil requirements. From Indian charterers ex-W Africa this week, IOC entered the market for W Africa/EC India off 27-28 September. Charterers took advantage of the continuing pressure being put on rates in this region by the eastern ballasters, and fixed the business at just a whisker under the US$3.0m mark. With the September programme ex-W Africa completed, the Indian charterers are now awaiting the laycans for their early October stems, which we expect to see firm by mid next week. We are assessing W Africa/WC India at US$2.75m and W Africa/WC India at US$3.0m.
The 30 day availability index shows 53 VLCCs arriving at Fujairah, of which five are over 15 years old, compared to last week’s total of 55. So far for September we have seen 59 VLCC fixtures reported from PG, compared with a total of 116 for August. Despite resistance from those owners unwilling to trade, those willing to continue to conclude business at present freight levels are more than sufficient to satisfy charterers’ requirements. It remains to be seen how sustainable present freight levels and daily earnings can be" Braemar concluded on the VLCC markets.
SUEZMAX
Meanwhile, in the Suezmax front this week, the report noted that "the West Africa market maintained reasonable levels of activity without inspiring a noticeable improvement in rates. Cargoes have been taken on by owners rapidly, and the lack of resistance has led to rates mirroring those from last week. West Africa / US Gulf still sits at ws55.0 with the standard 2.5pt mark-up to US Atlantic Coast & UKCont-Med. Whilst most of the early vessels have been accounted for, the 2nd decade of September is overloaded and will soak up any imminent demand. With cargoes entering 3rd decade dates, this does not provide much promise for those owners who have been sitting tight. Unfortunately, with the Mediterranean not offering much respite, it looks like many of those owners across the Atlantic who can make these dates will opt to ballast into the West Africa region and perpetuate or even undercut current rates.
In the Mediterranean, despite a few eastbound cargoes fixing, activity has been low. Voyages to the Far East have been achieving US$2.9m to US$3.0m, with a trip to India fetching US$2.2m. Cross-Med fixtures have been scarce with a short Arzew / Lavera 130kt x ws65.0, offering little perspective on the actual market. Worryingly a Mediterranean –US Gulf run was fixed at just ws47.5. In the Black Sea, a couple of charterers have been active, with a market rate of 140kt x ws55.0 meeting little resistance from either party, and toward the end of the week ws52.5 was fixed to the US Gulf. Whilst the odd fixture east should have lightened the load, the position list is so bloated that realistic owners will want to fix and get out of the market as soon as they can, so eastern runs should be attractive.
Towards the end of last week several cargoes were open in the PG, but these have been whittled down. After last week's enthusiastic climb to ws75.0 PG/West, the crippling effect of a fixture at ws55.0 has continued, with ws52.5 and ws50.0 fixed. There has been flat activity going east, but enough to back up last week's estimation that this market has some legs. 118kt x ws79.0 to East Coast India might not be a great indication of the market, but 130kt x ws77.0 to Vadinar was backed up by 126kt x ws87.0 to West Coast India and hopefully the reasonable levels of activity will relieve the position list and support the market for PG-West fixtures" said Braemar.
AFRAMAX
Finally, in the Aframax market, the company's report said that "with a short fixing week following the UK Bank holiday, general activity has been marginally better than the previous two weeks. However, rates in the Baltic remain unchanged with the market still over tonnaged and demand quieter as expected in the month of August. TD17 remains flat at 100kt x ws60.0 and we expect no change looking in to next week. Cargoes from the ports of Primorsk and Ust-Luga are currently fixing in the 10-15 September window. North Sea demand has been more or less non-existent with TD7 rates also flat at 80kt x ws85.0. In the Mediterranean and Black Sea, it has been a very quiet week again. Compared to the available tonnage, enquiry has been minimal. Owners are accepting in the region of 80kt x ws77.5 for cross Med voyages, and from the Black Sea 80kt x ws79.0, which we estimate is close to breaking even in terms of earnings.
Currently, there is a Black Sea market quote, and with plenty of prompt ships spot in the Black Sea meaning ballast is minimised, we expect a few more points to be shaved off. At present, there are no signs of any improvements in the eyes of the owners. Further west in the Caribbean, with both the Amuay Bay refinery fire and hurricane "Isaac" causing some uncertainty and delays, one would have expected freight rates to move upwards on the back of it. Rates did firm slightly since this time last week to currently 70kt x ws95.0, however the Amuay Bay failed to have much impact and hurricane "Isaac" is not expected to have a lengthy impact. This of course, does not help the market or owners, but many will be pleased that hurricane "Isaac" is not expected to cause the same devastation as hurricane "Katrina" did seven years ago. Looking in to next week, we would expect the market to remain at current levels. It has been an exciting week in the PG with lots of action seen compared to previous weeks. PG/East rates are moving upwards to ws115.0 due to an influx of cargoes in the market, causing the availability of tonnage to thin down. Consequently, owner sentiment has remained bullish.
Indonesia/North Asia rates have softened to ws87.5 due to the current typhoon situation, where charterers are carefully withholding their requirements to avoid vessels missing their dates. Not much change to TD14 this week, with rates firming at ws90.0, providing a TCE of around US$5,700/day. Fixing volume out of NW Shelf to North Asia has been fairly light. Sustainability in rates is highly unlikely as activity slows and the tonnage list lengthens" Braemar concluded.
Source: Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping
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Saturday, 08 September 12
INDO INDIA ROUTE FREIGHT FOR SUPRAMAX REMAINS STRONG - CAPT. REDDY
COALspot.com - The freight market overall remained weak and except for cape index all other sectors were down. The biggest drop was in the Panamax s ...
Saturday, 08 September 12
RIO TINTO COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF BHP BILLITON'S INTERESTS IN RICHARDS BAY MINERALS
Rio Tinto has doubled its holding in Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) following the completion of its acquisition of BHP Billiton’s entire inte ...
Friday, 07 September 12
HBA GAINS $ 1.56 PER MT IN SEPTEMBER
COALspot.com - The Indonesian government’s declared coal reference price has gained US$ 1.56 per MT M-o-M. This is the first gain ...
Thursday, 06 September 12
SOME ANCHORED PANAMAX VESSELS WAITING FOR CARGOS TO COME
Handy
According to Fearnleys weekly report, in the smaller segments Fearnleys sees little to no changes since last week. There are still entering s ...
Thursday, 06 September 12
DRY BULK CARRIERS STILL IN HIGH DEMAND AMONG SHIP OWNERS, BUT NEWBUILDING ACTIVITY SLIDES IN AUGUST - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The slide of the dry bulk market this year hasn't abated ship owners' appetite for dry bulk carriers, as evidenced by the steady interest expresse ...
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Showing 4586 to 4590 news of total 6871 |
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- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- The University of Queensland
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Australian Coal Association
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- PTC India Limited - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- White Energy Company Limited
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Planning Commission, India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
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