百年巴拿马运河
2014.08.16
一：本期头条 本月15日为巴拿马运河通航百年纪念, 运河当局本来想和运河拓宽竣工同时举行巨大仪式广祝, 但拓宽工程因工潮和费用问题要延长10个月因此广祝方式也就减色不少.
Panama Canal Centennial Spoiled By Specter Of Expansion Woes
Published August 16, 2014
PANAMA CITY (AP) – It was supposed to be a grand celebration of the engineering triumph that forged a nation.
Instead, the 100th anniversary of the Panama Canal's opening Friday is being marred by doubts about the country's ability to harness the full benefits of a multibillion-dollar expansion beset by cost overruns, strikes and the threat of competition from rival projects.
The latest setback in the canal's expansion came in May, when about 5,000 laborers walked off the job for two weeks as part of a strike over wages by construction workers nationwide. That followed a two-week stoppage in February in a dispute over $1.6 billion in extra costs between the canal's administrator and the European contractor building a third new set of locks.
Because of the interruptions and overspending, the original completion date of this October has been pushed back by 14 months and analysts say more delays can't be ruled out.
As part of the $5.25 billion expansion project, wider locks with mechanical gates will reduce congestion and be able accommodate post-Panamex vessels, which are as long as three football fields and have the capacity to carry about 2.5 times the number of containers than held by ships currently using the canal.
Canal administrator Jorge Quijano acknowledges he would have liked to finish the expansion in time for Friday's centennial. "But we knew from the beginning a project as complex as this wouldn't necessarily be done" on time, he said.
Not everyone is as understanding.
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou complained about the delays during a recent visit to Panama, saying they 
affect his country's trade with the United States. Two major cargo shippers, Denmark's Maersk and Taiwan's Evergreen, have already rerouted part of their operations, depriving the canal of about $80 million a year, Quijano says.
When funding for the expansion was approved by a referendum in 2006, its completion was envisioned as a coming out party for Panama, a chance to showcase the country's pro-business credentials and role as a linchpin of global commerce.
Backers portrayed the vote as a bet on the future of Panama's children in a country where poverty still affects a third of the population, a stain on what is arguably Latin America's most-thriving economy. For the most part, the canal has blossomed under Panamanian management, contributing more than $8.5 billion in government revenue since the Americans handed it over on Dec. 31, 1999.
But competition is lurking. Egypt is embarking on an expansion of the Suez Canal, and a Chinese firm was recently awarded a contract to build a waterway through Nicaragua, the path initially favored by 19th century American engineers. While just a threat on paper for now, Panamanian authorities have responded with the possibility of digging a fourth set of locks to maintain dominance.
Reflecting the more subdued mood, President Juan Carlos Varela opposed suggestions that the centennial be declared a national holiday. "The anniversary is best celebrated by working," he told journalists recently. "Panama already has plenty of free days."
He later paid homage to the men who died working on the canal, laying flowers at the tombs of two Panamanian laborers.
In a low-key ceremony earlier at the Miraflores locks, about 100 people, including canal workers, showed up to wave flags and greet cargo ships as they passed by. A school band played patriotic songs.
Panamanians will celebrate their canal's anniversary with an evening of fireworks and a free concert by salsa crooner Ruben Blades. A 500-pound cake will be served to hundreds of VIPs.
希腊船东到2013年3月以拥有商船 3,901艘载重吨达 2.91亿达有史以来最高峰.
Greek-owned shipping fleet hits all time high
By David Glass from Athens
Greeks control the largest merchant fleet ever as total carrying capacity has hit an all-time high and the flow of new tonnage into Greek hands is set to continue. The capacity of the fleet controlled by the country’s owners has now virtually doubled since the millennium.
The 3,901 vessels of over 1,000 gt controlled by Greek interests was a massive 291m dwt as we entered March and rising. In the same month of 2000, the 3,584 ships in Greek hands had a capacity of 151m dwt, then an all-time high.
At the beginning of March the fleet was up 224 ships and 25.5m dwt on 2013, the largest year-on-year rise since the newbuilding boom added 42.7m dwt and 474 ships to the fleet over 2007 / 2008 according to the data compiled by Lloyd’s Register-Fairplay for the London-based Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee (GSCC).
It is the GSCC's 27th consecutive annual "information paper" and the total includes 378 vessels of 33.6m dwt on order.
However, the Greek-flag flies fewer vessels at 819 vessels, though the trend towards larger ships sees the dwt of the home-flag up to 76m from 73.5m last year. “It is to be hoped the severe loss of confidence created by the uncertainty of the tax regime will not result in heavy losses in the future,” said the GSCC, referring to the government's decision just before last Christmas to pass into law a mandatory tripling of the tonnage tax paid by Greek shipping companies, after agreeing the tax would be voluntary.
Greek-flag ships of over 1,000 gt now account for 22% of the Greek-owned tonnage, ahead of Liberia with 17% and fast growing Marshall Islands with 16% after adding 123 vessels of 11m dwt in a year, passing Malta with a 15% share of Greek owned tonnage. Liberia and Malta registered growth while Panama remained steady with a 10% share, but Cyprus, continues to slip and now has just a 6% share.
The fleet’s age profile continues to improve and the GSCC says it is now 2.5 years below the world average of 12.5 years. In dwt terms it comes in at 7.7 years. However, the age of the Greek-flag fleet has slightly increased from 11.3 years to 11.5 years year-on-year. A third of the fleet, 1,334 vessels of 119.5m dwt, are under five years of age, while at the other end of the scale 266 ships of 4.3m dwt are over 25 years old. In other words, the larger the ship the younger it is.
Published inEurope, Containers, Dry Cargo, Tankers, Dispatches
因澳洲和巴西矿砂公司均准备提高出口数量专家们顺预测今年海岬型干散俊货船之运费将会逐步上升, 从去年的每天 7,432美元到今年第4季的 21,250美元. 另外因需求的增加(4.6%) 和新船订单(仅293艘)的减少明年将会出现 200艘的供不够求现象.
Ship Demand to Surge as Ore Cargoes Bust 1.3 Billion Tons
in Dry Bulk Market,International Shipping News 09/08/2014
Australia’s plans to export more iron ore this year than any nation ever is driving up shipping costs by 80 percent. Increased sales from Brazil before year-end means freight rates could go higher still.
Rio Tinto Group and other miners will ship an extra 97.8 million metric tons from Australia, equal to more than 600 cargoes for Capesizes hauling the ore, says Clarkson Plc, the world’s largest shipbroker. Brazil will add another 12.4 million tons, the first expansion since 2011, with shipments accelerating in the second half as the weather improves.
While the 38 percent slump in ore prices since the end of last year is threatening to curb the growth in cargoes, Morgan Stanley still expects global seaborne supply to top 1.3 billion metric tons in 2014 for the first time ever. The flood of ore is helping freight companies contend with their own glut, with orders for new vessels at a near three-year high.
“What is needed is a little spark,” Marc Pauchet, a London-based analyst at Braemar ACM (BMS), the second-largest publicly traded shipbroker, said by e-mail Aug. 5. “The increase in production in Brazil and Australia in the second half might just be it.”
Capesizes, each hauling about 160,000 tons of ore, earned $13,376 a day on average this year, compared with $7,432 a year earlier, data from the Baltic Exchange in London show. That’s still below the $14,500 that Arctic Securities ASA estimates owners of five-year-old vessels need to break even. Rates priced at $8,504 today.
Freight Swaps
Freight swaps that traders use to bet on, or hedge, future shipping prices indicate rates will gain in the second half. Capesizes will earn $12,250 a day this quarter, rising to $21,250 in the final three months of the year, according to data from Clarkson’s derivatives brokerage.
They’ll earn an average of $21,789 in 2014, 53 percent more than last year, and $28,000 in 2015, according to the medians of 23 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg News.
The extra ore supply from Brazil has a disproportionate effect on shipping because it’s three times further from China than Australia. China consumes two-thirds of the world’s seaborne iron ore, feeding mills that produced 779 million tons of steel last year, or about half the global total.
The most important demand measure for shipping is ton miles, multiplying cargoes by distances. Brazil increased exports in the second half in seven of the past nine years, government data show.
Second-Half Bias
“There’ll be a catch up in the second half of this year,” Doug Mavrinac, a senior shipping analyst at Jefferies LLC in Houston, said by phone Aug. 5. “It should have a very substantial effect on Capesize rates in particular.”
Vale SA (VALE), the Rio de Janeiro-based company that supplies about 85 percent of ore from Brazil, said July 24 that it will sell 321 million tons this year, maintaining a prior target. The estimate implies shipments will jump by about 5.3 million tons a month in the second half compared with the first six months, according to Commodore Research & Consultancy, a New York-based adviser to ship owners.
It would require 17 million tons of Australian cargoes to the Chinese port of Qingdao to generate an equivalent amount of vessel demand, data compiled by Bloomberg show. China accounts for about 69 percent of global demand for cargoes and Asia 87 percent, Clarkson data show.
Disproportionate Increase
“We could have a disproportionate increase in ton-miles,” James Leake, the research managing director at Arrow Shipbrokers in London, said by phone Aug. 5. “Things can change very quickly.”
Vale is protected against rising spot rates as it has longer-term charters, Jose Carlos Martins, the company’s head of ferrous metals, told reporters yesterday.
“We are hedged for a big volume, our needs are practically covered. If eventually we need something else, we go to the spot market,” Martins said in Rio, adding that the company plans to double its iron-ore shipments to China in the next five years. “Now, as we boost production volumes and we boost exporting volumes, we will need to hire more ships, that’s unavoidable.”
Benchmark iron-ore prices in China averaged $108.82 a ton so far this year, the least since 2009, according to data from Steel Index Ltd., owned by McGraw-Hill Cos. They peaked at $191.90 in 2011, spurring mining companies to add output.
Ship Supply
Increasing production from Australia and Brazil will deepen a global glut through 2018, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which predicts the raw material will average $80 in 2015 from $106 this year. Global seaborne output will exceed demand by 72 million tons this year, 175 million tons in 2015 and 323 million in 2018, the bank said. Upside risks will be limited this year in the absence of loosening by China.
The world’s second-biggest economy will expand 7.4 percent this year, according to the median of 54 economist estimates compiled by Bloomberg. While that’s about three times what they expect for the global economy, it will be the nation’s weakest growth in almost a quarter century.
That’s curbing growth in steel output, the driver of demand for ore and the ships that deliver it. Production of the alloy expanded at a 4.8 percent pace in the first six months compared with a year earlier, according to World Steel Association data. The increase was the smallest since 2012.
The capacity of the global Capesize fleet will increase by 4.6 percent in 2014, about the same as in 2013 and the second consecutive year that expansion has been slower than that of trade in iron ore, Clarkson data show. There are 293 Capesizes on order, according to data compiled by IHS Fairplay, a Redhill, England-based maritime researcher. While that’s the most since about September 2011, it compares with as many as 766 in 2009.
The largest Capesize owner is Nippon Yusen Kaisha, according to Clarkson. The vessels comprise about a quarter of the Tokyo-based company’s total fleet capacity because it also has ships hauling cargoes including oil and manufactured goods.
“The market is going to be 200 ships shorter this year than last,” said Mavrinac of Jefferies. “Given that, rates should strengthen pretty nicely.”
Source: Bloomberg
China finds shale gas challenging, halves 2020 output target 中国虽然拥有世界过半之页岩气但因开采困难引起高成本当局己将2020年开发产量减半.
in General Energy News 09/08/2014
China has halved the quantum of shale gas it expects to produce by 2020 after early exploration efforts to unlock the unconventional fuel proved challenging, according to an industry website and a government source.
China, believed to hold the world’s largest technically recoverable shale resources, is hoping to replicate the shale boom that has transformed the energy landscape of the United States.
About four years of early evaluations and drilling have so far yielded one large find – Fuling field – in the most prospective gas province of southwest Sichuan, but experts say the Fuling success is hard to repeat due to complex geology and high cost of production.
Citing Wu Xinxiong, the head of China’s National Energy Administration, industry website www.cpnn.com.cn reported that China aims to pump 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) of shale gas by 2020, versus an earlier goal of 60-80 bcm mapped out in 2012.
“The previous targets were more of a vague prospect, a hope. 30 bcm is a more realistic goal,” said a government source who was briefed on the new target.
The revision, which is pending government finalization, would be negative for oil service sector companies that were hoping to cash in on the major drilling activity needed to reach the earlier target.
This is clearly negative for sentiment for some of the China oil service sector firms such as Anton Oilfield <3337.HK>,” said Scott Darling, head of Asia Oil and Gas research of JPMorgan in Hong Kong. “This admission on shale gas reflects the challenges facing China’s natural gas market.”
Related: China’s first steps to becoming a shale gas giant
It also means China would continue to focus on tapping easier-to-unlock gas resources, such as tight gas, which the Chinese oil firms are more experienced in, to reach a government-set total gas supply target of up to 420 bcm by 2020.
China’s tight gas output may hit 80 bcm by 2020, according to forecasts by the China Academy of Engineering, doubling its estimated output of 40 bcm in 2013.
The new 30 bcm shale gas target would mostly be contributed by the country’s top two state oil firms, PetroChina <0857.HK> and Sinopec Corp <0386.HK>, experts have said, as they hold the majority of the country’s oil and gas blocks, as well as the expertise.
The government’s efforts, led by the Ministry of Land and Resources, to open up the shale gas sector to independent players have had small success, as the blocks the ministry has to offer are of poorer quality and would entail hefty exploration costs.
Attempts by international firms to participate in the shale gas development have not been wholly fruitful either, with Royal Dutch Shell <RDSa.L> and Hess Corp <HES.N> the only foreign firms that have landed production sharing contracts, while most of them, including Exxon Mobil <XOM.N> and BP <BP.L>, have barely progressed beyond the preliminary stage of studying the blocks.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Chen Aizhu and Judy Hua in Beijing, Charlie Zhu in Hong Kong; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
India: Shipping Corp may exit container business 印度国营 SCI 船务公司因三年的亏损可能退出集装箱业务.
State-run Shipping Corp. of India Ltd (SCI) may exit its loss-making container shipping business as the Mumbai-based company comes under pressure to do something drastic to reverse three continuous years of losses.
The move comes at a time when the government has initiated a review on the relevance of SCI as a state-run firm, according to a document reviewed by Mint.
“The shipping ministry is examining the relevance of SCI in today’s scenario when the private sector is coming in (a) big way to invest in shipping sector,” said a comprehensive action plan for the maritime sector prepared by the shipping ministry, following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shipping secretary Vishwapati Trivedi on 21 June.
The board of SCI will meet on Tuesday to approve the company’s results for the three months ended 30 June.
India’s biggest ocean carrier is losing money heavily from operating five container ships (it has a total fleet of 72 ships). The losses from this business have only added to the poor performance of its bulk carrier and tanker unit—the main profit centre of the company in the last two years.
SCI, 63.75% owned by the government, is India’s only mainline container ship operator servicing the country’s export-import trade.
The container shipping business is a part of the liner shipping division of the company.
“We are examining it (the container shipping business) very minutely with a microscope,” said chairman and managing director Arun Kumar Gupta. “ If pushed to the wall and if we think there is no way we can turn around the loss-making container shipping business, we might as well close it down”.
“There is no point in running a continuous loss-making service,” Gupta said, adding that the company may not shut the entire liner business as some of the services are profitable.
Gupta holds additional charge of director, finance, of SCI, as the candidate selected by the public enterprises selection board as finance director decided not to join the firm from 1 June. B.K. Mandal, the company’s finance director, retired on 31 May.
The company’s container carrying unit has posted operational losses in four of the last five years with accumulated losses running up to Rs.728.11 crore.
So far, the container shipping business was subsidized by revenue from dry bulk carriers and tankers. But with the dry bulk and tanker unit also posting operational losses since financial year 2013, the future of the container business has come under a cloud.
SCI reported overall losses in financial years 2012, 2013 and 2014—Rs.428.2 crore, Rs.114.3 crore and Rs.275 crore, respectively.
According to the guidelines of the department of public enterprises for government-owned companies, a company will lose its so-called navaratna status if it posts losses for three consecutive years.
The government is yet to decide on the navaratna status of SCI, a ministry spokesperson added; the tag gives greater financial autonomy to state-run companies.
The global shipping industry is yet to fully recover from the financial crisis of 2008. SCI’s local rival, Great Eastern Shipping Co. Ltd, though, has been reporting net profits during this period, one of the worst for the shipping industry in decades.
The contrast in operating performance is a reflection of the way in which the two companies are managed under different ownership structures—one state-owned and the other private, said a Mumbai-based shipping analyst.
“SCI is not able to respond quickly to market dynamics in a highly volatile industry such as shipping the way Great Eastern Shipping does. Its decision-making is often influenced by fear of government auditors,” the analyst said, asking not to be named.
“Something drastic, out-of-the-box, has to be done,” chairman and managing director Gupta told shipping agents at the company’s annual worldwide agents meet on 3 March in Mumbai, emphasizing that a situation of continuous and heavy losses at the container unit cannot be sustained any longer.
“Minor restructuring of services, sacrificing commission, renegotiating terminal charges, container freight station and inland container depot charges may not help.”
SCI restructured some of its container shipping services two years ago, but with the industry plagued by overcapacity and container rates trending below operating costs, the restructuring plans have suffered.
The company’s shifting focus from the container business was reaffirmed when it cancelled orders for building three new container ships, two of them each with a capacity to load 6,500 standard containers. This was the firm’s first attempt at buying bigger container ships, in line with the industry trend of owning large carriers to achieve economies of scale. S
ince April 2013, SCI has cancelled orders for building nine ships, including the three container ships, to preserve cash.
SCI’s predicament mirrors that of at least another ocean carrier that halted its container services from 2012.
In June 2012, MISC Bhd, controlled by Malaysia’s state-owned oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Bhd, closed its unprofitable container carrying unit after accumulating heavy operational losses of $789 million in the previous three years.
Global container carriers such as Maersk Line Ltd, Mediterranean Shipping Co. SA and CMA CGM SA are looking to forge operational alliances to control costs by sharing ships and port facilities as over-capacity, tumbling rates and rising costs cause industry-wide losses.
A decade ago, the National Democratic Alliance government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee made an attempt to privatize SCI, but the plan was abandoned due to a lack of serious bidders.
Some said that it was imperative for SCI to remain in the container transportation business.
“The presence of SCI in this business has ensured a moderation in freight rates for shipping container from/to India to/from several parts of the globe,” said a customer who regularly ships container cargo from India to Europe. “Otherwise, India’s exporters and importers will be at the mercy of foreign container ship operators,” he added on condition of anonymity.
Another person said that India cannot risk leaving its huge defence purchases that are carried in containers to foreign shipping lines. He too did not want to be named.
Source: Live Mint
二：造船(New Building)
Green Power Water Transport Co将建造200条 600-1000-dwt LNG江轮.
Shanghai Bestway lands contracts for 200 LNG-powered river vessels
in International Shipping News 05/08/2014
Shanghai Bestway Marine Engineering Design Co announced that its subsidiary Shanghai Bestway Marine Technology Development has signed EPC contracts with Green Power Water Transport Co for 200 LNG-powered vessels. Deliveries are scheduled in March 2015.
The contracts include one hundred 600dwt vessels, fifty 800dwt vessels and fifty 1,000dwt vessels. Total value of the contracts is about RMB650m.
Green Power Water Transport was established in June this year and is dedicated to inland river shipping. Shanghai Bestway and its subsidiary Shanghai Walking LNG holds 25% and 10% respectively in the company.
Source: Sino Ship
三：港口(Terminal)
希腊雅典港之 Thessaloniki货箱码头自从中运接管之后业务大有起色.
四：海难(Casualty)
货船 ‘Omegas’ 上月31日因主轴损坏飘于马六甲海峡北边入口处.
Disabled bulk carrier Omegas still drifting in Indian ocean?
August 8, 2014, 1:40 am
Bulk carrier Omegas suffered propeller shaft damage while en route from Argentina to Vietnam with cargo of soya beans. Reportedly vessel was disabled in Indian ocean near Malacca Strait entrance on July 31 or earlier. It is said that LOF is signed, vessel is to be towed, destination of towage unknown. At noon Aug 6 Omegas was in position 03 58N 092 58E, speed 2.5 knots, meaning vessel may be under tow or still adrift. Position seems to be strange, maybe vessel is still drifting, awaiting tug. There’s no port to be towed to in this area.
Bulk carrier Omegas, IMO 9138082, dwt 73606, built 1997, flag Liberia, manager ENTRUST MARITIME CO. LTD, Greece.
五：买卖/租贷 (S/P & Chartering)
1. SALE AND PURCHASE
Bulkers Size Built Buyer Price (Mln$)
Sea Urchin 74 193 2001 Greek 17,30
Imabari 865 61 000 2015 Undisclosed 31,40
Good Trade 53 000 2011 Overseas Marine 18,20
Ocean Queen 53 000 2011 Undisclosed 16,00
Aman Trader 48 320 1990 Chinese 4,10
Mimosa Dream 48 309 1996 Chinese 5,30
Marabou 40 908 1989 Greek 4,90
Cielo Di Monfalcone 37 450 2002 German 12,00
Cielo Di Vancouver 37 420 2002 12,00
2. SOLD FOR DEMOLITION
Vessel name D/W Ldt Built Buyer Price
MV Mitec 44 831 9 112 1991 Bangladeshi 480
MV Supertech 44 679 9 264 1991 Bangladeshi 480
CONT Maestra Atlantico 28 977 10 996 1986 Undisclosed 323
CONT Maentra Pacifico 22 343 7 068 1994 Undisclosed 323
CONT Maestra Caribe 22 340 7 068 1994 Undisclosed 323
Maestra Meditraneo 16 985 6 845 1994 Indian 510
MV Sea Worker 3 950 1 991 1970 Bangladeshi 445UILDING
3. CHARTERING- Dry bulk (week #32-2014)
Handy
An improving sentiment with stronger rates and fair demand for prompt tonnage in the Atlantic, both on the Continent and in the Med for the Supra players. Scrap business to Med in the 9.000 range and
Fronthaul above 11.000. 1 year reported done with ppt delivery in Greece at arround 9.500/Day.
After a slow start in the Pacific, the market seems to gradually turn from flat to a slightly positive trend
Mid week. Activity on the low side with levels around 8.000 for vessels in S.Korea/Japan range and 9.000 bss S.China.
Panamax
Low activity with levels moving along an uninspiring basement floor seems to be the trend this summer.
Generally most requirements are covered on APS basis, leaving a too long list of ships behind. Trading
And arbitrage enthusiasm is non existent. North Atlantic rounds are covered in the 4.000-6.000 range
Depending on destination and duration. USG back to Med in the 8.000 + 85.000 GBB range. Both Atlantic and ECSA fronthaul runs showing small signs of improvement mid week with 13.000+300.00
GBB obtainable for the long round. The Eastern hemisphere is also suffering from oversupply, with levels under 5.000 + 50.000 GBB APS Indonesia (190.000 GBB bss Aussie) to China and tick more if
Going to India. Short period done from mid 7.000 ́s to abt 9.000 spec and delivery depending, but takers are few.
Capesize
Rates are remaining more or less unchanged at bottom low levels. West Australia are presently been
Concluded in the mid 7s with a handful of fixtures being concluded so far this week. Fronthaul remaining absolutely inactive, with charters and operators trying to book tonnage at index levels
(presently 18,62) for end August and September against owners in the upper 19s/low 20s. Few period
Fixtures are being concluded, with last done still being the Heroic (182,000 dwt/2010)at USD 18,750 for 11/14 months.
4. CHARTERING-Tankers
Crude-VLCC
As the Eid holidays were over charterers have managed to remain calm and the start of the week was very slow. Activity has though revived but tempo is firmly in the control of the charterers. Again firm business is being
Overwhelmed with offers and the competition among owners remain fierce. Additionally there seem to be an
Overabundance of ships either ex dd or need of sire which has added to dampen the rates. Rates have therefore
Corrected down ex Meg for all destinations. Wafr/East movements started slow but as September dates are firmly in play, activity has increased but with Multiple ships (from the east) to choose from, rates have also corrected down for this trade.
Caribbean/East continues on a super firm note with few ships expected making charterers to reach well into September to secure tonnage; and rates are a ́world of its own ́compared to the other routes.
Rates for Suezmaxes,particularly in West Africa during the last week dropped due to limited activity. We expect to see increased volumes for 3rd decade being covered during this week, however uncertain if this will be sufficient to maintain present levels. The Bsea/Med markets have been quiet and rates have corrected down for these areas as well. There is still activity for voyages Med/Bsea for east destinations both for crude and fuel oil which is still reducing the available tonnage and aiding owners to possibly maintain todays rates.
The North sea and Baltic Aframaxes started last week very slow with rates being concluded at bottom levels. As the week progressed more and more cargoes came into the market which put charterers in a rush to cover tonnage. As ships kept getting fixed away one by one rates came under upward pressure and market remains very dates sensitive at time of writing.Not a very eventful week in the Med/Bsea. Things went into auto-mode which only produced a sideways market and unchanged rates.
Caribs Aframaxes experienced a declining market with rates coming down to the ws 150 level for the standard up coast voyages.
Product EAST - Another week has gone by in the East and the LR market is looking even firmer, coming on the back of a thin LR2 position list and heavy activity on the LR1 ́s out of the MEG. The LR2 ́s have kept its momentum since last week with steady activity on both west-and east-bound cargoes, and we believe that rates will stay flat at ws115 if not firm up a few points for the short term. After a few weeks of ws115-117.5 levels for MEG/JPN, the LR1 ́s have on this side of the weekend built up steam and is currently trading around ws125 levels. At the moment we are seeing a position list full of ships on subs and firm cargoes in the market, so the next few days will be exciting for those still out there with an open ship.MR ́s trading in the MEG have also gotten its share of the fun, and is currently looking firm as well.
WEST- The LR2 market in the West is still tight as a drum. With the Naphtha arb still open and a thin position list go along with it, rates are keeping steady at around USD2750k for UKC/JPN (STS loading). During the last week we have seen the LR1 ́s tighten as several ships were fixed CONT/WAFR at ws95-100 levels, and now available tonnage has shrunk and resembles the USG market. In the Atlantic the MR ́s have almost turned around again, with the Continent looking more active and the USG looking less active. Currently, both markets are looking at ws90 levels but will most likely spread soonest. Handies trading on the Continent has come back a few points during the week and the same goes for the Mediterranean market, where owners are looking at ws140 and ws115 respectively.
5. CHARTERING-GAS
Another quiet week with little to report from is over, and the anticipated spur to the freight market from the announcement of new August posted prices failed to happen. A couple of vessels were fixed MEG/India at 25% lower rates than what was fixed 2 weeks ago, hardly representative for the VLGC freight market elsewhere, but nonetheless pointing at a softer sentiment. We are only one week into August but we see only a small handful cargoes and the shown available vessels do outnumber the cargoes in the remainder of August. The Baltic VLGC Index has been in red every single day for more than 2 weeks, however, there is no reason for panic among owners-latest posting returns nearly USD100,000 per day on modern vessels. But, we have not seen the end of the downwards correction yet, most probably.
六： 2014(week #32) 远东2004年造二手船平均价值:
种类 油轮 干散货轮 集装箱轮 (teu)
船型 VLCC Suezmax Aframax Cape Pmax Supramax Handy P/Pax Pmax Handy
吨位(万) 31 16 11 18 7.5 5 3 6500 4000 1400
价值(万美元) 0.0% +0.6% +1.2% 0.0% -6.30% +1.6% +1.6% 0.0% -3.4% -8.6%
七：2014/08/15船用燃油价格(每吨/usd)
来源: Bunkerworld
IFO 380 __IFO 180 MDO MGO
新加坡 585 595 860 870
鹿特丹 560 582 ----- 845
休士顿 575 645 ----- 965
*****************************************************************************************************
备注: tbn = to be named ldt = light d/weight ton
usd = u.s.dollar mtpa = million ton per annum
cbm =cubic meter tpa =million metric ton per annu
