Special topic. Danube freight rates suffered pressure in late Dec

摘要

Throughout Dec, the Danube freight market was showing quite a high pace of trade due to regular grain shipments from the EU. Theshortage of open vessels got more acute in mid-Dec given worsening weather and 5-10-day downtimes of barge-tug caravans awaitingloading and discharge in Constanta. Already in late Dec, however, players started to report a traditional slowdown in cargo traffic andmost traders started to push Jan rates down. Note that the draft on the rapids has stabilized at 2.2-2.3 meters, and this level is projectedto last throughout Jan (in case there is no frost).