Shipping Report

TANKERS A very slow start to the week, with limited fresh inquiry. Aframax round voyages are fixed at about W/S 120. – Tamoil has fixed M/T «Min. Libra» for 80,000 tons, loading Ras Lanuf 26/1, discharging Italy, at W/S 122.5. – In the North Sea, tonnage for April dates looks incredibly tight, although the question remains how many uncovered April stems are left out. Cssa has fixed M/T «Navion Scotia» for an 80,000 tons of cargo round voyage at W/S 140. – Caribs quiet; Stusco has fixed M/T «Corcovado» for 70,000 tons, loading East Coast Mexico April 24, discharging USG, at W/S 115. – Suezmax steady in the Med., while in West Africa the 130,000-ton cargoes with destination USG/ USAC are fixed at W/S 115. – VLCCs out of the same area are fixed at W/S 95 with destination US Gulf. CSSA has fixed M/T «Universal Prime» for 260,000 tons, loading W. Africa May 5, discharging USG/UKC, at W/S 95 and 97.5 respectively. – In the Med., Tupras for 80,000 tons of cargo, loading April 26, discharging Turkey, has fixed M/T «Apageon» at W/S 115. – In the Cont., Cargill for 80,000 tons of cargo, loading April 25, discharging Atlantic, has fixed M/T «Four Island» at W/S 160. – In Caribs, Vitol for 70,000 tons of cargo, loading April 22, discharging US Gulf, has fixed aet tonnage at W/S 122.5. DRY CARGO Capesize market has improved in the East, with more cargoes available. Nyk has booked M/V «Indomitable,» 149,349 dwt, built 1990, open Shanghai April 18, for a trip via Australia to Japan at USD 51,000 daily. – On Panamaxes, the East has seen a significant volume of fixing, with the Japanese once again dominating the market. Rates appeared to have steadied around USD 37,000 to USD 38,000 daily for standard round-trip voyages. – In the Atlantic, the market appears steady to slightly easier. – On Handy/Handymaxes, South America remains the most active market with rates still firm. Cargil has fixed M/V «Aries,» 41,000 dwt built 1984, with delivery W. Africa via Brazil to Mediterranean, at USD 31,000 daily. – On Capers, Coeclerici has fixed M/V «Mineral Ordaz,» 172,632 dwt, built 1997, delivery May 1-3 Rotterdam, trip via Canada and Constanza, redelivery Passero, at USD 60,000 daily. – On Panamax in Far East, Cargill has fixed M/V «Achilles,» 76,500 dwt, delivery Japan April 27-29, for 3-5 month period at USD 41,750 daily. – In Atlantic, Bunge has fixed M/V «Pythagoras,» 75,162 dwt, built 2002, delivery Brazil April 28-30, trip via Argentina, redelivery UKC/Med., at USD 41,000 daily and USD 700,000 ballast bonus.