Simpson Spence News

The economic incentive to import oil from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Asia has closed as the cost of booking supertankers on the route has surged amid a jump in bookings for the vessels, traders said this week.With the arbitrage for U.S. shipments closed, Asian refiners may make up some of the difference with similar Middle Eastern crude oil after top regional producer Saudi Arabia cut their sales prices for February, which is expected to carry over to other regional crudes. The spur…

Shipbroker Simpson Spence Young (SSY) hired Justin Wang will join the global SSY LNG team as a ship broker, effective from April 2023.Based in Beijing, Wang will be the first active LNG shipbroker in the Chinese capital and will focus on further expanding SSY’s LNG presence in the region, backed up by the current team that is based in London, Singapore, and Stamford, with business development in Madrid & Mumbai. An LNG specialist with over 15 years of commercial maritime experience…

Independent shipbroker Simpson Spence Young (SSY) on Monday announced it has appointed Roar Adland (Ph.D, FICS) to the role of global head of research, effective May 2023. Internationally recognized with over 20 years of professional experience, Adland has built an impressive reputation as one of the most pre-eminent shipping experts in the world today, gaining a Ph.D from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holding senior positions at the Norwegian School of Economics and Clarksons.“As evidenced by their recent acquisitions and strong performance…

Simpson Spence Young (SSY) agreed on the terms to acquire Norwegian Westshore Shipbrokers AS, part of SSY’s strategy to enter into the global offshore sector. Based in Kristiansand, Norway, Westshore was launched in 1987.“This acquisition marks the first step in realising one of SSY’s key strategic objectives, to become a major global player in offshore," said tanko Jekov, SSY Managing Partner. "We have ambitious plans for this market and I’m confident we can add real value in this sector."“This strategic move will enable Westshore to leverage on SSY’s worldwide network…

Global container shipping rates are a widely used gauge of overall consumer sentiment, with high and rising costs indicating strong demand for goods, gadgets, and clothes, while falling rates attest to slowing or falling buyer interest.As the main conduit for global trade in finished and intermediate goods - including an overwhelming majority of the parts and machinery needed to produce other merchandise - the container shipping sector can also offer a glimpse into the state of…

Shipbroker Simpson Spence Young (SSY) on Wednesday revealed it will open a new office in Genoa, Italy.The new SSY Genoa office will open this Autumn. Initially, the team that will be based there will focus on dry cargo, specifically handy, supramax and panamax, with a number of individuals from a local shipbroking firm joining the team.SSY's global head of dry cargo, Stanko Jekov, said, “We’re very pleased to be establishing a base in Genoa and continuing to grow our Dry Cargo division.

Shipbroker Simpson Spence Young (SSY) on Tuesday announced it has opened a new office in Athens, Greece.The new office, which is based in Glyfada, is being managed by SSY Dry Cargo broker Nicholas Vamvakaris and currently includes teams from the dry cargo division who focus on Cape, Panamax and the Handy Supra markets.SSY said it plans to expand the remit of this office in the near future to include other departments.Mark Richardson, chairman of SSY, said, “We are very pleased to open SSY Hellas, and to have our brokers present in Athens.

Despite transporting roughly 90% of the world’s cargo, the shipping industry has so far been underrepresented in the global decarbonization discussion. This rhetoric is however changing. For the first time in history, shipping was officially on the agenda at the UN climate change conference, COP26. Likewise, the recent United Nations General Assembly saw leaders from the U.S., Australia, India, and Japan place shipping at the top of a list of pledges, with plans to form a “Green…

Newly launched SSY Futures Ltd announced it has completed its first Handysize 38,000-dwt FFA trades on both the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and European Energy Exchange (EEX) for the April and May contracts.Mark Douglas who is leading the new contract from SSY Futures FFA team, said, “It was extremely encouraging to see the opening days interest culminating in the April trade at 19000 and the May trades at 20500. The ever-growing liquidity down the curve is extremely promising and…

Forward freight agreement (FFA) trades for a basket of 38,000-dwt handysize time charter rates will help operators take longer-term cover with less risk, says shipbroker Simpson Spence Young.Following an ever-strengthening charter market, SGX have confirmed a launch date for the new offering as April 19, 2021, with EEX aiming for early May pending regulatory approval. Both exchanges are keen to promote clearing of the new contract.The handysize futures market was previously based on the Baltic Exchange's old 28…

After a highly volatile 2020, shipbroker Simpson Spence Young (SSY) looks at the next 12 months and highlights areas of particular interest in their 2021 Outlook Report. The report looks at various drivers of the shipping markets, including how the developing emissions regulations may affect commercial fleets and shipping investments.Contributions come from a range of senior research and broking experts and cover dry bulk, tanker and gas freight markets; shipping investments, CO2 emissions, FFAs, metals and energy derivatives.

Pacific Green Technologies Inc. (PGTK) (OTCQB: PGTK), owner of the ENVI-Marine and ENVI-Clean Exhaust Gas Scrubbing Systems, said that Anders Jorgen Røine has joined the company as Direct Sales Commercial & Business Development Director based in the office in Oslo.Røine has more than 25 years of commercial shipping experience as a ship broker and senior chartering manager in London, New York and Oslo. After he left The Royal Norwegian Navy he joined Simpson Spence & Young in London…

Global dry bulk fleet utilization (calculated as total demand in tonne miles transported divided by total available fleet capacity) dropped by 1.4% in the fourth quarter of 2018, reflecting the trend observed in the rate environment.According to Norway based dry bulk shipping company Golden Ocean Group, freight rates in the fourth quarter of 2018 disappointed compared to expectations, in particular for the Capesize vessels, which declined from the previous quarter.The Panamax and Supramax markets were relatively unchanged from the previous quarter, it said.According to Maritime Analytics, global fleet utilization was 85.8% in the fourth quarter of 2018…

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Atlantic Capesize Index rise by 161 points in the week ending Monday to 7,550.The SSY Atlantic Capesize Index rose by 161 points week-on-week to 7,550 points as a pickup in Brazilian iron ore chartering saw fronthaul rates from the region strengthen. There were increases of $200/day and $500/day in the round-voyage and fronthaul rates to $16,500/day and $30,000/day, respectively. The latter a six week high.Source: Reuters

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Pacific Capesize Index rise by 356 points in the week ending Monday to 4,803."The SSY Pacific Capesize Index led to a four-week high of 4,803 points, however,this still marked a sizeable annual drop of 2,104 points.The W.Australia-China iron ore spot rate gained $0.50/t to $7.50/t, as the Pacific round-voyage rate (basis 180k dwt) jumped to $15,400/day from $10,850/day the week before." SSY said.source: Reuters

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Pacific Capesize Index rise by 36 points in the week ending Monday to 6,148.The SSY Pacific Capesize Index was almost unchanged week-on-week at 6,148 points as further robust rate increases on backhaul routes were cancelled out by lower earnings on South Africa-China iron ore and coal trades. The W.Australia-China iron ore spot rate edged up to $8.65/t, while there was a $300/day decline in the Pacific round-voyage rate (180k dwt) to $19,000/day.By Reuters

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Pacific Capesize Index rise by 283 points in the week ending Monday to 6,112."Led by strong rate increases on backhaul trades, the SSY Pacific Capesize Index climbed 283 points week-on-week to the highest level since August at 6,112 points. The Pacific round-voyage rate retreated to $19,300/day, down $850/day, while the W.Australia-China iron ore spot rate edged lower to $8.60/t.".

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Atlantic Capesize Index rose by 293 points in the week ending Monday to 8,038.The SSY Atlantic Capesize Index retreated by 293 points last week to 8,038 points as a quiet weak for trans- Atlantic coal and iron ore chartering contributed to a softening in earnings. The Atlantic round-voyage rate (180k dwt) declined by $2,200/day to a three-week low of $17,000/day, while the fronthaul rate dropped by $1,250/day to $32,500/day.

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Atlantic Capesize Index fell by 805 points in the week ending Monday to 6,475.   "The SSY Atlantic Capesize Index fell by a further 805 points last week to 6,475 points as weak fronthaul iron ore chartering from Brazil, coupled with a lack of trans-Atlantic cargoes, contributed to a decline in earnings. At $9,750/day, the Atlantic round-voyage fell by $5,050/day, while there was a $6,200/day drop in the fronthaul rate to $22,000/day." SSY said.

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Pacific Capesize Index reported a gain by 241 points in the week ending Monday to 4,915.   "The SSY Pacific Capesize Index increased by 241 points week-on-week to a 16-week high of 4,915 points. A $650/day rise in the Pacific round-voyage rate (180k dwt) was modest compared to increases in Atlantic earnings however, this was still enough to lift it to a year-to-date high of $16,000/day. The W.Australia-China iron ore spot rate rose by $0.15/t to $7.25/t." SSY said.

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Atlantic Capesize Index down by 2,041 points in the week ending Monday to 7,323.   "Led by gains on trans-Atlantic routes, the SSY Atlantic Capesize Index to the highest level since the second week of January at 7,323 points, up by 2,041 points week-on-week. The largest weekly increase since 2014. There were strong increases, of $10,000/day and $12,350/day, in the Atlantic round-voyage and fronthaul rates (180k dwt) to $15,150/day and $31,500/day, respectively." SSY said.

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Pacific Capesize Index reports a change of 312 points in the week ending Monday to 3,814.   "The SSY Pacific Capesize Index rose by 312 points week-on-week to 3,814 points, ending a run of losses that went back to the end of February. The Pacific round-voyage rate (180k dwt) climbed $3,750/day to a five-week high of $11,750/day, while the West Australia- China iron ore spot rate increased by $1.15/t to $6.40/t." SSY said.

Shipbrokers Simpson, Spence and Young's Atlantic Capesize Index rose by 826 points in the week ending Monday to 7,164. "The improvement in the Atlantic Capesize Index rose this week by 826 points to 7,164 and remains well above the corresponding levels of the previous two years. Chartering activity from Brazil helped push round voyage rates (180k dwt) and fronthaul rates both up by $3,350/day week-on-week, to $14,100/day and $25,750/day, respectively," SSY said.