The small-tonnage market remains depressed in the Black and Mediterranean Seas. In the last couple of weeks, ship owners managed to achieve a barely noticeable rate upturn only for shipments from Ukraine ($0.25-0.5/t up), which is quite far from what they expected more than a month after the start of the grain season.
There is a downtrend on the rental market of gondola cars primarily due to decreased offer of cargoes. Some operators forecast the rates to fall to ₴333-375/day in September (VAT excluding).
Dynamics of average mazut prices, $/tonne
Gondola car rental rate index, €/day*
Rental rates have held steady in the Baltic countries in July 2024. Only the rental rates of box cars with a body capacity of 161-175 cu m and fitting flat cars have changed insignificantly due to currency fluctuations.
UZ Cargo Poland, a subsidiary of Ukrzaliznytsia, has announced changes to the August tariffs for transportation on its major routes.
The small-tonnage shipping market still sees virtually no encouraging news for ship owners, although we have already left behind a month of new grain season. Note that during 1.5 months, rates ex Ukrainian ports have grown – or rather pushed from the bottom – by $1-1.5/t on short-haul routes and by $2-2.5/t in long-haul…… Read more »
Dynamics of average mazut prices, $/tonne
Gondola car rental rate index, €/day*
Whereas new grain season is gaining pace, owners of small-tonnage vessels still hope for higher activity. However, the market sentiment is not improving so far.