John Faraclas
Mid-Week Blues
What a start and what developments are these today in all fronts? For …a start, on our part same where predicted. All Markets – Dry and Wet in red with an unprecedented collapse of the Capes. The geopolitical mess is beginning to reach the climax this side has predicted. Add the Coronavirus and see what you get. John Faraclas’ brief midweek recap:
The BDI was down 14 points earlier on today and now stands at 525.
The Capes’ BCI stood at 93 points – down 36 losing the 100…point-threshold…
The Panamaxes’ BPI down 24 at 627 points…
The Supras’ BSI down five – now standing at 533 points…
The Handies’ BHSI down six – now reading 344 points.
The Wets also on a downward mode; the last published BDTI (Dirties) and BCTI (Wets) stood at 1,046 – minus 47 and about to lose the 1,000 point threshold and 623 – minus two points respectively…
So both Dry and Wet markets in tatters… and we expect further drops…
The WTI was down at US$ 53.33 – that’s good news… but….
The Geopolitics are heading humanity to the big clashas the architects of this world have planned but this time the dangers for all is that these plans might back clash – beyond the boomerang situ…
MIGRANTS make it worse for all now all over the place; CAUTION as if this intentional movement from Turkey and North Africa is not full resolve, the mess will be both despicable and incalculable. Brussels’ EU led by Germany’s Angela Merkel must get their act together… In the USA / Mexican border too as well as with other MIGRANTS things might also get sour…
Coronavirus take things even worse and WHO m u s t do its best to contain same. Travel is being disrupted too, particularly air travel and all maritime organisations and authorities together with Shipping’s stakeholders have issues CAUTIONARY Circulars. Let’s see how the Chinese Authorites act and re-act too and wish to see the contingency plane available as shipping is very vulnerable on these health issues. No excuses!!! The extention for the Chinese New Year Ceebrations says it all!! C A U T I O N !
The new Middle East Peace plan set up by president Trump and his advisers will trigger more mess in the entire region. Israelis and Palestinians will clash yet again and others will join in and then the shit will hit the fan!!! CAUTION as a square deal is per mare per terra needed. Until now, he non-pragmatic peace plans for both sides by others, have caused incalculable traumas for both sides and since 1948 we had enough all of us out of this conflict…
The BREXIT Deal is now ready; let’s see its implementation – that’s the important part as there ae too many eyebrows around – on both sides of the British Channel… The signatures don’t count – we know this well due to ou shipping practice deals paticularly on Ships Sale and Purchase; you dead well know what I mean…
Too many issues with IMO’s 2020… Watch this space!!!
From the round table discussion
On another tone and note in London we had an excellent event by The Commonwealth and EIF on “The Trade Shocks in the Commonwealth: Natural Disasters and LDC Graduation” at Marlborough House with two great sessions; one on “Natural Disasters and Climate Change related legal provisions in Trade Agreements” and the other on “Graduation from LDC status and Resilience to Trade and Environmental Shocks” chaired by Dr. Brendan Vickers and Dr. Jodie Keane bothy from the International Trade Policy. Speakers included H.E Mr. Felipe Chidumo, High Commissioner of Mozambique, Michael Roberts, Aid for Trade Coordinator, WTO, Prof Markus Gehring, Cambridge University through SKYPE on “Climate and Energy Provisions in Trade Agreements with relevance to the Commonwealth” – to whom we asked a question on the IMO2020 issue, H.E. Mr. John Licht, Vanuatu Ambassador and Head of Mission to the EU, Ms Annette Ssemuwemba, deputy executive director Enhanced Integrated Framework, from the WTO, Dr. Analisa Primi from the OECD and finally Dr. Lisa Borgatti LDC Division UNCTAD who broke into tears at the start of her speech – a very sentimental presentation.
All in all a great event, one of the best ever of its kind and thanks to Richard Moir we managed to attend same. Good to see some students whom we met at the Marine Money 2020 at the beginning of last week; Stephanie Harten and Antigonos Theodorakis.
Both Q&A’s were moderated by the Trade, Oceans and Natural Resources Directorate.
An interesting dips and drinks reception followed in the surroundings of this magnificent and historic buildings of mankind; a good chance to meet most of the 60 or so delegates and speakers.
I guess a major conference must be staged on this issue in order at least to protect as much as we can humanity from the wrath of Natural Disasters which lately have devastated Planet Ocean, particularly over the last three decades. We hope to have a recap by the organiserss and prsent same to all our viewers.
The cutting of the cake (Vasilopita) by AKSS Alumni president Vagelis Hombitis …watched by Costas Bitzanis
Down in Athens the AKSS Alumni (Anargyrios and Corgiallenios School of Spetsae) had their traditional gathering, the cutting the New Year’s Cake (Vasilopita) at Paleon Faliron’s (Falifornia) Coral Hotel. A good turn out and among the graduates/ Alumni we spotted our teacher George Foutris. The sovereign went to Dimitris Dollas of Class 1966! Well done.
Have a nice evening and remain on guard from actions emanating from Pirates, Terrorists, Criminals and any Business Hooligans whatsoever wherever you are on Planet Ocean.
