The Baltic Exchange
The Baltic Exchange will be making changes to the Baltic Capesize Index including a change to its vessel description, amends to the route weightings and the addition of three new routes on 6 May 2014.
The move follows a trial which began in February and formal consultation with the dry bulk market.
The existing routes and new routes will be published side-by-side until there is no further open interest in either Forward Freight Agreements (FFAs) or options to be settled.
The basis of the new Baltic Exchange capesize vessel description will be:
180, 000mt dwt on 18.2m SSW draft
Max age 10 years
198, 000cbm grain
LOA 290m
Beam 45m
15 knots ballast/14 knots laden on 62mt fuel oil (380 cst), no diesel at sea
When considering the prevailing timecharter market rate for the Baltic capesize vessel, panellists should assume that, if steaming at 12 knots laden or 13 knots ballast, the vessel will consume 43mt fuel oil, no diesel at sea
As of 6 May Baltic Capesize Index will be basis the new vessel description and the following component parts:
C2 Tubarao to Rotterdam
C3 Tubarao to Qingdao
C4 Richards Bay to Rotterdam
C5 W Australia to Qingdao
C7 Bolivar to Rotterdam
C8_14 Gibraltar/Hamburg transatlantic round voyage
C9_14 Continent/Mediterranean trip China-Japan
C10_14 China-Japan transpacific round voyage
C14 China-Brazil round voyage
C15 Richards Bay to Fangcheng
C16 Revised backhaul
The following new routes will be launched:
C14
Delivery Qingdao spot or retroactive up to a maximum 15 days after sailing from Qingdao, round voyage via Brazil, redelivery China-Japan range, duration 80-90 days. Basis the Baltic Capesize 2014 vessel. 5% total commission.
C15
Richards Bay to Fangcheng. 160, 000mt coal, 10% more or less in owner’s option, free in and out, trimmed, scale load / 30, 000mt Sundays + holidays included discharge. 18 hrs turn time at loading port, 24 hrs turn time at discharge port. Laydays/cancelling 25/35 days from index date. Age max 15 yrs. 5% total commission.
C16
Delivery North China-South Japan range, 3-10 days from index date for a trip via Australia or Indonesia or US west coast or South Africa or Brazil, redelivery UK-Cont-Med within Skaw-Passero range, duration to be adjusted to 65 days. Basis the Baltic Capesize 2014 vessel. 5% total commission.
The weighted timecharter average figure provided by the Baltic to facilitate both the FFA and physical market will be calculated as follows:
Route no Description Weighting
C8_14 Transatlantic RV 25%
C9_14 Fronthaul 12.5%
C10_14 Pacific RV 25%
C14 China-Brazil RV 25%
C16 Revised backhaul 12.5%
The commission basis on which panellists are asked to quote the routes has been amended to reflect current practice. The commission for the timecharter routes C8_14 (trans Atlantic round voyage); C9_14 (Cont trip Far East); C10_14 (Pacific round voyage) will now be 5%. From 6 May all the Baltic timecharter routes are basis 5% commission. The commission on voyage routes C2, C3, C4, C5 & C7 remains unchanged at 3.75% total.
Parallel reporting of the old and new suites of timecharter routes will continue until there is no further open interest in either Forward Freight Agreements (FFAs) or options to be settled.
Once the new contract has been launched, clearing houses will not accept trades on the old contract which extend in date beyond the period for which there is existing open interest. They have also agreed to offer cost incentives to assist those who wish to migrate open interest to the new contract.
The Baltic Exchange is the world’s only independent source of maritime market information for the trading and settlement of physical and derivative contracts. Its international community of over 600 members encompasses the majority of world shipping interests and commits to a code of business conduct overseen by the Baltic.
