What a week that was: Falling Markets, Warring environment in the Middle East amid Coronavirus’ dangerous and uncontrollable spreading
The BDI (Baltic Dry Index) lost 139 points since yesterday and now reads 2,939 losing also the 3,000 points threshold, an important barrier so to speak. The weekly loses were 244 points – down from 3,183 points last Friday the 7th of May 2021. Wets still grounded. The situ in Israel, Gaza, and West Bank is getting off hand. Winning on the ground is one thing, maintaining Peace and avoiding Global Terrorism yet another. Extremities will be 1,000 centum detrimental, a boomerang, so both sides MUST end stubbornness here and now. No excuses please! Coronavirus spreads, the Indian variant is more than unstoppable and deadly for all all over Planet Ocean. John Faraclas’ daily and weekly recaps:
The Capes was the driving force on the upturn but also to the current fall; the BCI lost today 384 points and now stands at 4,165 losing the 4,100 to 4,400 points threshold. The weekly losses amount to 841 points – down from 5,006 last week. CAUTION!
Losses for the Panamaxes, down 56 points with the BPI now at 2,961 and loss of the 3,000 point threshold. On a weekly basis, the BPI was up six points – from 2,955 last week.
Rich pickings for the Supras; the BSI was up 14 points at 2,297 and 101 since last week’s 2,196!!!
Gains too for the Handies’ BHSI – up ten since yesterday, standing at 1,269 and up 80 on a weekly basis – from 1,180 last Friday the 7th of May 2021!
Stranded Wets; the last published BDTI (Dirties) and BCTI (Cleans) stood at 610 – no change and 517 – up 16 points respectively. On a weekly basis the Dirties gained three points – up from 607 and the Cleans 45 – up from 472 points respectively. Very low levels… CAUTION as we need to see for both the 1,000 point mark…
The WTI causes issues with an “unnecessary” rise. Today same stands at US$ 65.53 , which is US$ 1,71 higher since yesterday. On a weekly basis the WTI was up 82 cents – from US$ 64.71 since 07 May 2021. Terrible and destructive levels. Only the US$ 39.99 can make the big difference and offer security to 7,7 billion people on Planet Ocean.
On the geopolitical front:
MIGRANTS remain the no. ONE issue and now with the Gaza and other adjacent regions, expect more movements.
In the “normal” MIGRANTS developments, the media is “silenced” or at best is conspicuously silent and only when the public witnesses cases, then they upload in the web or print… Sometimes when loss of lives – particularly of mothers and their children, then they “surface” and write. Shame and inhumane! The Politicians is to blame onehundred centum… Again Shame and inhumane! The EU in particular bears all the fault and guilt as FRONTEXT cannot cope given the dozens per day issues/cases as the Political masters intervene from German led EU in Brussels… Shame, SHAME, ShAmE, sHaMe! Allowing Turkey go Scott-free is despicable… In the case of the MIGRANTS, there are NOT vested interests as such if you like it to describe even this angle of the MIGRANTS case… It goes beyond that. Never ever forget what happened in March 2020 at the land frontiers between Greece and Turkey at Evros River. Add what we also witness in the Italian region with the island of Lampedusa at the forefront… The Spanish and Maltese Territories and lately – a year now with intense movements and crossings at the British Channel…What is Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, doing on this despicable continuation of MIGRANTS coming to Greece’s Aegean Islands from the Turkish Anatolian Coast? What is she doing to alleviate the pain and harassment of the small local islanders’ communities whose social cohesion is at risk? We had E n o u g h and insist in our long standing position: To deter the sensitive MIGRANTS issue as Islamist fighters enter Europe under coverage, we need in place Here and Now a Naval Blockade, with a Mandate and Rules of Engagement!
Turkey continues to pester all in its periphery, namely: Armenia – in reality exploits Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Greece, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Qatar, and obviously the Balkans. Did I hear you say Kurds. I am pretty sure that very soon we will all celebrate Kurdistan’s entry in the UN. Already Northern Iraq is Kurdistan… Try and find out why we are provocative!!!! Using Religion as an extra tool coupled with multi…modal blackmail and dozens of provocations Turkey will rock Peace in the region… Putin’s Russia must completely stay at bay with Turkey as at the end of the day this “relationship” – you all know what I mean, will harm Russia. Turkey even eyes the situ in Ukraine… CAUTION! Spain, Italy and other EU and non- EU nations must distance themselves from Turkey. For a fistful of Dollars you don’t sell your allies… I hope I made myself fully understood. This is an important part of developments in the faulty line from Gib to Afghanistan and from the Caucuses to the Horn of Africa…
Mind the Israeli – Palestinian flare up as this time stubbornness will have to pay a high price and Peace will come even to the destruction of both sides. Israel has any right to exist and defend its national integrity for its people. Equally the Palestinians they MUST have their complete independent nation per the UN Resolution of 1948. All outsiders must forthwith stop pushing for an all out war. If today’s five or six so to speak World Leaders want Peace and Human Rights to exist in this part of the world, must abstain to take sides or do deeds which they will regret… Terrorists from all sides and ultra-sick nationalists MUST stop their inhumane actions. Religious leaders MUST also come down to their senses before they also come down to their knees.
Iran tries to mend up its differences with Saudi Arabia. At the same time the Revolutionary Guards MUST abstain in provoking the West, the USA in particular as this time the USA’s wrath will be monumental. Iran MUST accept Israel as an equal nation; the Iranian leaders and in particular the religious ones, have witnessed whatever happened to Saddam Hussein… end of the story.- Finally, let’s see whose elected in June as Iran’s president: Raisi or Larijani? …OR an outsider…? Eh! Saudi Arabia is in a period also of deep tensions; what will the fundamentalist there do?
In Afghanistan – just to emphasize the dangers, whilst the USA’s withdrawal continues, the Taliban, their backers and cronies continue and will continue to rock the well-being of all Afghanis; S H A M E! Imagine when the last USA soldier leaves what is going to happen… A very sorry state again… We urge all Union of Women all over Planet Ocean and in particular our Sea-maidens, The WISTAs to take action and save the Afghani Women – we all know how they will suffer from the Talibans… WISTAs, raise to the circumstances!!!!!
In the EU things continue to be in a state of limbo as the 27 states have still many differences which MUST be solved. The most important one is the European double Recession with the South – Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece in danger…”Forget” Coronavirus here as the Recession was there and nothing much has changed since 2008-2009!!! Super Mario, the very much respected Mario Draghi, currently Italy’s PM will do whatever it takes to save both Italy and the EU AND the Euro. All south European nations in cooperation with the North MUST work in tandem and save the Day for the entire Mighty Continent. We need a correction within the EU and also its foreign policy including the Energy jargon, a multi facet issue…
Putin’s Russia has to put its house in good financial order…..
BREXIT continues to make waves and same will continue for the foreseeable future… Northern Ireland is indeed an issue with the EU but good will can find an amicable solution, a square deal for all sides in the equation. Time to sort out the Scottish issue once for all. United means United; Great Britain means Great Britain! The Markets though need a correction… The UK embarks to its past role as a Super Power covering the space some international policies and politics haven’t shorted out. Watch the Empires Might on its way back to the Glory we knew. Watch this space!
At the other side of the Atlantic, USA’ president Joe Biden and his Administration has embarked to a major overhaul – as we say in Shipping, to streamline in all aspects the American nation following anecdotal mismanagement by the Trump governance… The finances MUST return back in order and the US Dollar MUST regain its international strength. He MUST also streamline his foreign policy and raise the stakes against China, Iran, Russia, North Korea and Turkey. He MUST also “explain” to Islamists and other ultra-Terrorists that their days are numbered. A goodwill figure of about 15,000 new entrants in the USA is more than a good gesture to stop illegal Immigrants flow there… Caution too to avoid another Colonial Pipeline mess…
The Central and South Latin America goes from worse to worse. Above all we have a financial and political / ideological catastrophe there. Venezuela and Colombia for a start are in a total mess. Unfortunately both counties have a common border… In Venezuela, unless this Nicholas Maduro dictatorial regime steps down, we shall witness an Apocalypse; equally in Colombia, where the last thing to witness were unnecessary taxes… Argentina is amid a financial turmoil which if continues will completely rock off this, once upon a time very rich, nation! Brazil’s Bolsonaro MUST understand that being a leader of such an important nation needs military order and precision and make the society work and poverty, a very inhumane one, disappear…
In Africa mind Nigeria’s economy; watch out developments in Somaliland. Another issue surfaced in Lake Victoria; fishing was a good business but now seems violence might cause yet another mess… This might engulf Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda… All in all in Africa we must ensure proxy wars eased down but some Colonial and post-Colonial powers – like for example the Chinese get the message… Now whose responsible for Ethiopia’s postponement of election next month, eh?
The Subcontinent with its Pakistano-Chinese-Indian Kashmiri dispute is in the brink of something sudden too… COVID-19 Indian variant will prove more than deadly with internal and geopolitical effects…
In Asia now and China continues to flex its muscles… The USA and Japan as well as their allies are closely watching. South China Sea and Taiwan will upset us for the foreseeable future… In the meantime Chinese population didn’t drop an iota as was the expectation. When we say 1,4 billion people we mean 1,4 billion people. No reduction at all…. despite the fact that very soon India will take over…. Lastly, the Chinese are to be congratulated for their March 5B rocket success, but shamefully they have to abandon silly debris consequences given the mess and possible dangerous outcome in harming ships or inhabited areas. North Korea by the way is NOT in hibernation as many have thought… In Myanmar, the troubles continue… CAUTION!
And …whatever happened to Sydney’s casinos? Laundered money you say…
Mind the Oil prices. As said above, we need to see the WTI no more than US$ 39.99. Catastrophe ante portas!!!
Need an urgent breakthrough on the Environment and we MUST all stop to mickey-mouse about! CAUTION… Do we observe the “protocols” for 2020 work? What’s the progress towards 2030 and 2050? One first step – which we have mentioned recently, is to go for a Newbuilding spree with ecological / new technology vessels. Here and now. I know for many will be painful, but the Environment comes first!
On COVID-19, this Universal Coronavirus Anathema, a Pandemic like no other witnessed before – I am prompting you all as same is still developing with the Indian’s lethal variant and millions will die. Already we witness its spreading in Nepal and infections are now all over South East Asia…
Make Vaccines available and ensure by the end of the year 7 billion people have done at least one dose – I know it will be a miracle but same can happen. I am worried about the true / real figure of cases.
Opening up Tourism and Maritime Tourism could be an expensive exercise, particularly as we don’t control the Coronavirus’ game… I don’t wish to come back one day and say: SHAME on you. Have patience. We must also ensure those who are refusing to have the Vaccine, must get the message that they might be in a social “exile” if proven that they cause harm to our society. If they don’t care about themselves, they must care for their fellow citizens… END of the story!
In this Geopolitical, Environmental and Covid subjected environment, those involved in the Shipping adventure have a lot of issues to tackle, hence for the past years we urge you to be prepared for Shipping being only for the very very very few!
Have a nice evening, weekend and continue to remain on guard from actions emanating from Pirates, Terrorists, Criminals and any Business Hooligans whatsoever wherever you are on Planet Ocean. Once again a big THANK YOU to all who really care for all humans – Doctors, Nurses, Seafarers, Dockers, Port Authorities et al during this Coronavirus disaster!! We repeat: Do please invest in Hospitals including Equipment, Doctors, Nurses and any useful means to avoid further disasters! Become more disciplined and care for the Environment too. Lastly: Education and Training for all to be able to tackle these disasters. Let us work collectively together and NOT opt for a fistful of Dollars to restart the already collapsed global economy… which is in red over US$ 300 (three hundred) trillion…
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Uploaded 14 May 2021 at 22:49
Updated 14 May 2021 at 23:50
