According to Pavel Lysenko, analyst with ASAP Agri and freight broker with Atria Brokers, the market remains unfavorable for shipowners operating in the Black Sea–Mediterranean region. Despite expectations of an upward trend with the start of the so-called grain season, freight rates remain at levels that are far from attractive for owners. Charterers continue to hold the upper hand, as the number of firm cargo orders in the region remains limited. As a result, most deals this week are being discussed at last done levels.

Thus, Atria Brokers’ freight department assesses the freight for Panamax vessels with corn from Ukrainian deep-water ports to South China at 35–36 USD/MT, steady w/w.

In the Handysize segment, freight for a 30,000t corn shipment to East Coast Italy holds at 17 USD/MT.

In the Coaster sector, freight for a 6,000t corn shipment from Ukrainian Danube ports to East Coast Italy is assessed at 28–30 USD/MT.

Barge freight for 1,000–3,000t of corn from Izmail or Reni to Constanta is estimated at 9–10 EUR/MT (up 1 EUR/MT w-o-w).

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