Ship Brokers

Turkey Will Host Ship Brokers’ Association

The first annual Turkish Ship Brokers’ Association Dinner (Bosporus 2012) will be held at the Haliç Congress Center, located in the historical district of Sütlüce in İstanbul on June 29, 2012. The Turkish Ship Brokers’ Association is expecting an attendance of about 1.400 ship brokers, ship owners, charterers, ship agents and representatives of all areas of the global shipping industry. With the support of the Turkish Transportation, Maritime and Communication Ministry and IMEAK DTO/Turkish Chamber of Shipping, Bosporus 2012 is being sponsored by Statu Shipping, Ulgenbulk, Densa Tanker, Hkalkavan Shipping, Burtrans, Bulk Atlantic, Efe Chartering, Catoni Shipping, United Shipping Agency Romania, Forsa Shipping and Green Black Marine Logistics. Its aim is to make an impact to strengthen the relations of the Turkish shipping industry and their counterparts world over.  

ITIC Highlights The Perils Of E-Mail

Electronic communication is not totally secure despite a seemingly bug-free transition into 2000, warns The International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC). E-mail systems may help in reducing communication costs but they can still lead to substantial losses at the touch of a button. The latest issue of ITIC's Claims Review reports the case of a charterer who had invited tenders for a long-term charter. A shipbroker sent his principal's bid via an industry message system to the charterers'

Tanker Trends

Mideast Rates Climb As Heavy Fixing Seen Freight rates for crude tankers loading early April in the Middle East were climbing early last week as shipowners held out for higher prices in expectation of heavy vessel fixing, brokers said. VLCC rates to the U.S. Gulf were expected to rise five or more Worldscale points to W62.5-65 ($10.75 per ton) for the next done fixture, some brokers said. Japan shipment prices were also lifting with the latest bookings at W70 ($7.50 per ton), up from W67

Tanker Rates React To OPEC

Tanker rates to the West firmed as charterers and operators took on board the implications of OPEC's decision to raise oil output, brokers reported. Rates of W68.5 ($11.50 per ton) for 280,000 tons to Europe and 255,000 tons to the U.S. Gulf ($11.75) were a Worldscale point or so above last done, brokers said. But the market appeared to be acting in a schizophrenic manner to the Far East where rates at best held for South Korea at W77.5 (about $7

Ziobro Appointed VP at U.S. Shipping Partners

U.S. Shipping Partners L.P. announced the appointment of Jan T. Ziobro, a 28-year veteran of the shipping industry, as Vice President, New Construction. In this role, Mr. Ziobro will have oversight of the Partnership's new construction program, which presently stands at nine 49,000 dwt product tankers and four 19,999 dwt articulated tug barge (ATB) units. Mr. Ziobro will report to Joseph P. Gehegan, President and COO.

Wave of New Bulk Carriers Expected to Upset Freight Rates

Some shipping brokers expect spot freight rates for Panamax bulk carriers to decline next spring when a large number of new bulk carriers enter service. About 100 newly built bulk carriers with cargo capacities of 50,000 to 80,000 tons are to be delivered in 2001, up from about 70 vessels this year, possibly causing rates to fall, the brokers said. Spot rates for Panamax bulk carriers for the U.S. Gulf/Japan route have recently risen to three-and-a-half year highs.

ITIC Urges Brokers to Call

Filing demurrage claims electronically could be costing shipbrokers significant sums of money, according to International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC). While e-mail may be quick, cheap and easy, brokers are being urged to ensure they have a system in place to confirm receipt of not only demurrage statements but all time sensitive documents. In the past, brokers have used courier services to send claim documentation

Erika Syndrome Hits Aframax Market

The Erika syndrome, by which charterers are seeking tankers younger than 20 years of age, shifted focus to the Atlantic Aframax markets, shipping brokers said. Two weeks ago oil lifters scrambled to fix modern VLCCs for Middle East to Far Eastern destinations, lifting rates by a third, on the back of anxiety about older substandard tankers after the Erika broke up off France in December. This week 80,000 tonners in the North Sea benefited from a combination of tight availability and the rush

Capesize Rate Jump Driven By Japanese Steel Market

Increased Japanese steel production has driven Booming Capesize rates more than the August market raid by Belgium's Bocimar when it chartered about 35 ships, shipping sources said. Capesize spot rates have doubled over the last three months, with the market now looking for $15-16,000 for a Pacific round trip, compared with about $7,500 in August, brokers said. Atlantic rates have also soared, although partly due to the grounding of the 274

Transatlantic Panamax Rates Hit Six-Week Lows

Panamaxes for transatlantic round voyages fell to six-week lows on Wednesday as trade was limited by a series of European holidays in the month of May, brokers said. "It's not looking good, every region is down. To say it's a disaster for owners would not be an understatement," a broker said. Transatlantic round voyage returns are edging closer to the $11,000-a-day mark. Brokers said that commodities trading house Cargill booked a 1997-built panamax at $11,500 a day