Skip to content
Home » DRY BULK » Page 2

DRY BULK

Low-angle view of a large commercial vessel’s bow cutting through rough seas beneath heavy clouds, with waves crashing against the hull

Decks and Deals Weekly #47

The week of 21–28 June 2026 delivered a drone strike on a trapped Evergreen vessel, a 39% VLCC rate collapse, container shipping’s third-largest spike in history, and a ceasefire that kept shooting

A minimalist editorial image showing a vintage balance scale on a white surface. One side holds distinct piles of nickel ore, bauxite, soybeans, wheat and clinker, while the other supports an abstract metallic dry bulk vessel. The scale tilts slightly toward the vessel side. Soft natural light, clean background and Monocle-style composition

The dry bulk rally is no longer just about iron ore

Stronger freight earnings, diversified commodity demand and rising vessel utilisation have pushed dry bulk asset values sharply higher, reinforcing buyer confidence and supporting secondhand prices across virtually all vessel segments

Minimalist airport-style waiting area with four seats labelled Cape, Kamsarmax, Ultramax and Handy, a fallen Panamax plaque on the floor, large windows overlooking a darkening horizon, and a newspaper resting on a nearby table

Calm before the storm: dry bulk market holds its breath

During the week ending 19 June 2026, dry bulk freight markets remained largely stable as owners and charterers waited for greater clarity on the evolving Iran–U.S. agreement, with Panamaxes providing the market’s main source of volatility

Close-up of a heavily weathered steel ship hull with extensive corrosion, peeling surfaces, riveted plates and jagged openings

Decks and Deals Weekly #46

The Strait of Hormuz reopened and then closed again this week as the United States and Iran signed a peace deal, while global shipping markets repriced freight, bunkers and sentiment, 14–20 June 2026

A bulk carrier sails through open water under clear daylight, with enhanced colours, a green hull, and a broad wake curving across the sea

The great tonnage squeeze

Drawing on market data from the week ending 12 June 2026, the structural tightening driving Ultramax & Handysize freight markets higher is becoming increasingly visible as shrinking vessel availability and resilient cargo demand continue to strengthen owners’ negotiating power across key global trading basins

A geared dry bulk vessel sailing through deep blue waters under clear skies, viewed from above at sea

Tight tonnage, shifting trade flows and a market in transition

Why the Ultramax and Handysize segments are quietly becoming the most strategic space in dry bulk shipping during the week ending 22 May 2026, as disruption, positioning and regional fragmentation increasingly reshape freight market behaviour

Large dry bulk carrier sailing through sunlit waters near port infrastructure, viewed from above, with vivid blue sea reflections

A week of mild corrections across the dry bulk market

During the week ending 22 May 2026, the dry bulk market entered corrective territory, with Panamaxes leading losses while Capes, Ultramaxes and Handies recorded softer and uneven adjustments

Aerial view of tightly packed colorful vessels moored in dark harbour waters, forming dense geometric patterns across a busy maritime dock

Decks and Deals Weekly #44

Between 17 and 23 May 2026, global shipping ran on four clocks: Trump halted Iran strikes, Brent dropped 5%, the BDI rally reversed, tankers softened, and containers climbed into an early peak