Small geared ships set new benchmark

摘要

May is usually one of the strongest months in container ship fixing as container lines soak up more charter capacity for the cargo peak season starting in summer. Owners' expectations have not been disappointed, with average charter market rates pushing up another 7% during the period from mid-April to mid-May, according to the Hamburg ConTex. However, The picture became more fragmented than in the first months of the year: Today it's the sub-panamax, handy and feeder classes below 3,000 TEU that show the strongest performance whereas rate levels for post-pana-max and panamax type vessels have come under more pressure as prompt demand failed to keep up with growing redeliveries and higher tonnage availability.