Clean

LR2

MEG LR2’s have fluctuated up and down this week as the region has had to deal with the Eid holidays. TC1 peaked at WS127.22 midweek (+11 points from Monday) to then resettle back down to WS117.5 at time of writing. Similarly, TC20 peaked at $3,559,000, up from $3,325,0000, and is now back down at $3,343,000.

West of Suez, Mediterranean/East LR2’s have continued to trundle along around the $2,500,000 – $2,600,000 mark all week.

LR1

In the MEG, LR1’s followed a similar pattern of their larger siblings. TC5 after bubbling around the mid WS150’s has started to come down and is currently pegged at WS149.06. Likewise, TC8 has ultimately dipped from $2,933,000 to $2,832,000.

On the UK-Continent, TC16 has not deviated from its current course and still sits in the low WS120s, with a notable lack of activity at the moment.

MR

MEG MR’s have been retested down this week, seeing the TC17 index shed 41.07 points to WS188.93.

After a slow start, a large chunk of enquiry mid-week stimulated some upward movement the UK-Continent MR’s. TC2 hopped up to WS140.25 (+15.25) and TC19 similarly added 16.88 points to WS151.88.

USG MR’s have accelerated upwards this week, with a pre-Independence Day rush being regularly cited as the reason. The momentum has taken TC14 up 32.5 points to WS140 and TC18 to WS222.5 (+41.67). A run to the Caribbean on TC21 also shot up $210,000 or 30% this week to $909,167.

The MR Atlantic Triangulation Basket TCE climbed from $18,087 to $26,519.

Handymax

Mediterranean Handymax’s, after ticking up to WS145 end of last week, have plateaued there this week.

Up on the UK-Continent, TC23 has been chipped away at this week and we have seen the index dip from WS135 to WS122.78.

VLCC

A fairly quiet week as owners and charterers took stock of last week’s activity. Rates continued sliding downwards, although on Thursday it seems a floor was found and started a gentle climb, regaining a solitary point from Wednesday. In the Middle East, the rate for 270,000mt Middle East Gulf to China lost two points since last Friday at WS51.71 (a round trip TCE of $29,700/day basis the Baltic Exchange’s vessel description), while the 280,000mt Middle East Gulf to US Gulf trip (via the cape/cape routing) is now rated about half a point lower at WS35.61.

In the Atlantic market, the rate for 260,000mt West Africa/China dropped three points week-on-week to WS52.70 (which shows a round voyage TCE of $31,800/day). The rate for 270,000mt US Gulf/China is now assessed $1,283,333 less than last Friday at $8,088,889 (about $33,000/day round trip TCE).

Suezmax

Suezmaxes have had a quiet week, with sentiment driving rates downwards. In West Africa, the lack of firm enquiry combined with available tonnage building up led to lower rates. On Thursday an Angola/Europe cargo received almost a dozen offers and ended up fixing at WS95, although for 130,000mt Nigeria/Rotterdam the rate has dropped 17.5 points to WS102.5 (a daily round-trip TCE of $40,900). In the 135,000mt CPC/Med market the rate is assessed eight points lower than a week ago at WS112.95 (producing a daily TCE of $45,100 round-trip) and in the Middle East the rate for 140,000mt Basrah/Lavera lost about 6.5 points to WS56.28.

Aframax

In the North Sea, the rate for the 80,000mt Hound Point/Wilhelmshaven shed five points to WS130.31 (showing a round-trip daily TCE of $37,100) and in the Mediterranean the 80,000mt Ceyhan/Lavera rate lost only a point since last Friday at close to the WS140 mark (a daily round trip TCE of $37,900).

Across the Atlantic, the Stateside Aframax market continued a downward trend. The rate for 70,000mt East Coast Mexico/US Gulf fell 43.5 points to WS148.13 (which shows a TCE of about $35,000/day round trip) and for 70,000mt Covenas/US Gulf the rate has dropped 33.5 points to WS145.31 (which shows a TCE of about $32,300/day round trip). For the trans-Atlantic route of 70,000mt US Gulf/Rotterdam, the rate fell a comparatively modest 7.75 points to WS147.19 (a round trip TCE of $34,000/day).

Source: Baltic Exchange