BIMCO: Freight Container Rates Drop 28%, Worst First Quarter in Twenty Years
Average container freight rates for Chinese exports have dropped 28% since the start of the year, according to BIMCO. This posts the worst first quarter development in twenty years. Based on input from twenty-three liner operators, the China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI) reflects the general export freight rate level from ten major ports.The 28% fall reduced the CCFI from 1,548 at the beginning of the year to 1,112 at the end of the first quarter, not least due to a record high fall in spot freight rates.
Russian Oil Freight Rates From Baltic Ports to India Ease
Freight rates for Russian oil supplies from its Baltic ports to India are declining from recent record highs amid an increase in offers from Western shipowners after Urals crude oil prices fell below a price cap of $60 per barrel, two traders said.The Group of Seven countries, in coordination with the EU, imposed the price cap in late 2022 that blocked access to Western shipping services and insurance if Russian oil was purchased at more than $60 a barrel, aiming to reduce Moscow's…
Red Sea: Far East-US Spiraling Ocean Freight Rates Set for Decline
Spiraling ocean freight rates from the Far East to the United States, caused by the Red Sea crisis, may have peaked, with some relief on the horizon emerging for the shippers, according to the latest analysis from Xeneta, and ocean and air freight rate benchmarking and market analytics platform.The latest data released by Xeneta indicates a peak may have been reached after spot rates from the Far East into the US declined slightly since the last round of General Rate Increases (GRIs) were implemented at the start of February.Into the US East Coast…
Black Sea Shipping Rates Soar 20% as Reinsurers Cut Cover
Costs for hiring ships to transport commodities from the Black Sea have risen by more than a fifth since the start of the year, reflecting higher war risk insurance rates, industry sources said.The Black Sea is crucial for the shipment of grain, oil and oil products. Its waters are shared by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and Turkey, as well as Russia and Ukraine. Since Jan. 1, when policies are renewed, reinsurers that provide financial protection for insurance companies have added exclusions for ships and planes for Belarus…
