Overcapacity Concerns Continue to Push Baltic Index Into Uncharted Waters
Jan 22 (Reuters) – The Baltic Exchange’s principal sea freight index, which tracks charges for ships carrying industrial commodities, prolonged its report low run to a 14th straight session on Friday on persistent vessel glut and weak demand.
The general index, which gauges the price of delivery dry bulk together with iron ore, cement, grain, coal and fertiliser, fell 1 level, or 0.28 p.c, to 354 factors.
The dry bulk sector has taken a beating from the slowdown in Chinese enterprise at a time when the sector is battling big overcapacity.
The capesize index made recoveries for the second consecutive session, gaining 23 factors, or 11.2 p.c, to 229 factors.
Average every day earnings for capesize vessels, which generally transport 150,000-tonne cargoes corresponding to iron ore and coal, rose $176 to $2,984.
The panamax index shed 12 factors to report a brand new all-time low of 334 factors.
Average every day earnings for panamaxes, which often carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, fell $92 to $2,672. (Reporting By Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; enhancing by Sarah Young)