Freight rates decline across the board

摘要

There was no respite for shipowners inrnFebruary as freight rates declined acrossrnall shipping segments, a trend reflectedrnin asset prices, which have plummetedrnbecause shipowners are having troublernraising funds. Although ordering in somernsectors such as dry bulk has improvedrnslightly in recent months, owners of otherrnvessels are still wary of placing fresh ordersrnfearing it will further deteriorate marketrnfundamentals. Despite the lack of orders,rnnewbuilding prices are unlikely to declinernsignificantly as margins for the yards atrncurrent prices are already very low.