On the 15th week the freight rates in the Azov Sea region keep the previous week level . Thus, the rate for the shipment of 3,000 tons of wheat from the Azov Sea to the ports of the Marmara Sea is USD 17 pmt. There are lesser grain cargoes on the market, but at the same time, the level of freight rates is supported by an increase in the cargo flow of coal and sulfur to Turkey. Many shipowners consider only non-grain cargoes, since the rates for them are often higher than for grain. Thus, for example, the freight rate for coal cargo from Rostov to TBS will be closer to USD 17 pmt.
Many charterers note a slight increase in demand for grains in Italy, but at the moment it is possible to conclude very few contracts.
Shipments along the Russian River are also postponed by most shippers for later dates, since the owners of the cargo do not yet agree to reduce prices, which leads to an increasing drop in rates for shipments from the river ports of the Middle Volga to the ports of the Kavkaz, Rostov and Astrakhan. In addition, the number of cargo for the voyages from the Marmara to Caspian Sea direction has sharply decreased, so some shipowners who had previously planned to go in the Caspian basin are reconsidering their plans.
There is a slight increase in freight rates for the ports of ARAG and the UK in the short see market in the Baltic region. Despite the holidays last week, there is still a lack of tonnage in the Baltic. This is explained not only by the presence of contract shipments, but also by the small number of back cargoes to the Baltic. Shipowners note that there is now a large flow of timber, for which they are forced to give up their fleet, fulfilling their contractual obligations. They also prefer to take on non-weather cargo due to storms in the North and Irish Seas, which most often affect the increase in voyage time and the expectations of loading operations for goods such as grain and fertilizers going to the ports of ARAG and the UK.
On the deep-sea market in the Black Sea, a slight decline in grain cargo can also be noted. Charterers are in no hurry to conclude contracts and ship grain, as freight rates for standard “grain” directions remain high, which does not allow companies to receive large revenues at the moment, even though commodity prices have dropped. However, regular shipments of steel and coal remain in this region.