Markets “hit” back- the BDI@2,137; the Ukrainian mess will continue and, possibly, might spill over… whilst COVID expands uncontrollably. Wonder what contingency plans are in place to confront the coming Armageddon. Thank the Olympian Gods we had a unique Marine Money Conference, a very special Indian National Maritime Day and a few more events… John Faraclas’ daily and weekly recap:
The BDI (Baltic Dry Index) was up 69 points since yesterday at 2,137 and 82 since last week’s (08/04) closing at 2,055… surpassing the 2,100 points threshold!
The Capes’ BCI was up 110 points at 1,481 and 37 since last week’s 1,444 point – very low and wonder…
The Panamaxes’ BPI gained 74 points standing now at 3,042. On a weekly basis, the BPI was up 265 points surpassing also the 2,800 to 3,000 points threshold…
The Supras’ BSI was up 36 points at 2,497, but on a weekly basis, same was down five points from 2,502 points registered last Friday… The loss of the 2,500 points is …itching
Finally, the Handies’ BHSI lost 23 points and now reads 1,449 points; on a weekly basis, the BHSI lost 95 and the loss of the 1,500 points threshold…
Being an optimist, but a pragmatist too, when I mentioned in the preamble that the Markets hit back is because we don’t wish to lose our moral given the general / wider market conditions and realities with the ongoing mess in Ukraine…
The Wets with ups and downs – a very usual situation over the last two years; the last published BDTI (Dirties) and BCTI (Cleans) stood at 1,714 – down 14 and 1,076 – up 39 points respectively. On a weekly basis the Dirties were up 37 points from 1,677 surpassing also the 1,700 points threshold and the Cleans …rebound was a hefty 178 points from 898 points (08/04) respectively surpassing the 900 and 1,000 points threshold respectively…
Again, we continue to witness an ups and down uncertain Wet Market situation… CAUTION!
On the Ship Sales and Purchase front Bulkers prices gain momentum; something to be pleased… Tankers too look promising…
Newbuildings remain the future for both safe shipping investment-wise and environmentally correct/friendly. Our view is for using alternative sources of energy / propulsion such as wind power. Watch this space!
Demolition prices remain in genral good ranging from UD$450 (Bulkers in Turkey) to US$ 690 (Boxships in India)… Thev sentiment remains good but same will soon change…
The WTI ended up at US$ 106.95 which is US$ 2.70 higher since the 13/04 and US$ 8.69 since last week’s US$98.26 (08/04)… Despicable levels strangulating humanity…
On the geopolitical front the loss of Russia’s Black Sea Flagship “Moskva” off the coast of Ukraine will trigger president Putin’s wrath with despicable actions…
The battle for Mariupol continues and defending Ukrainians do not surrender. Russians continue to bomb parts of Ukraine, even at random, and looks likely, from what we see, a demolished nation. On the other hand, military assistance arrives one way or another from Western nations to Ukraine and the bloodbath continues. The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky presses hard the USA for more weapons, for more assitance.
The UN proves incompetent to end the War. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has above all a humane duty to ask both sides to end these despicable actions; end of the story. He must also stress to president Putin not to spill it over, as he has hinted with action in the north – Finland and Sweden and the Baltic States; who knows what else he has in mind. In our view, you haven’t seen anything yet. President Putin will use all means and it remains to be seen, what the US and NATO can do if he strikes against other natios and if he uses chemicals or even nukes…
Sanctions do not work as the international public believes as there are many loopholes. We dead well know how tracking on ships or on depos or stotorage tanks for example work and some years ago we attended a unique event organised by Afrimari at AET’s Docklands offices.
Elsewhere we have:
First and foremost: Inflation and insecurity. How the households will confront rising consumer prices – food above all, and energy? We don’t wish, but we should ensure we avoid a social upturn. If this happens in one nation, then no one can stop the effects of a domino situ… CAUTION !
An anxiety for who wins the French presidential election… Can Emmanuel Macron remain in power? Is Marine Le Pen, despite improving on the votes result, capable of running France and conversely participate in co-running the EU? A very crucial election which might end up with hiccups, unless…
Will Boris Johnson make it? Partygate or whatever… the public also broke the rules… So ?
Rwanda and the Refugees issue which is not nice at all… We will continue calling all as MIGRANTS to include all these terrified people world wide…
With the Ukrainian mess on, the Syrian exodus looks like a kindergarten… We have warned nearly a decade now in this medium about the repercussions for social cohesion worldwide and vice versa, when we have millions of displaced people either in their own country or leaving to find peace and safety elsewhere. Shame for the UN not being able to tackle this issue.
Did I hear you say ethnic cleansing in Tigray? The end of this civil war looks a midsummer night’s dream… Enough!
Yemen near by, accross the straits of Aden, is another mess with the Saudis as the Houtis have their own agenda…
Congo and Mozambique are being suffering from Jihadists; CAUTION for South Africa as there is a dirty involvement there…
Pakistan: whatever happened to Imran Khan’s innings… Tough days ahead. Another big CAUTION there…
China begins to challenge us all; MUST respond NOW!
India flirting with Russia is also a dangerous issue…
Latin Central and South America in total turmoil…
Finally, mind the dire straits… Aden, Bosporus, Gib, Kiel, Malacca, Otranto, Skagerrak and Kattegat, Suez… we are at War don’t forget…
Covid become a contradictory issue and expect disasters. Our message to politicians is simple: Grow up… Expect mess soon. Actually, by October we expect cataclysmic news… One thing that will save us all is the traditional vaccine; end of the story. Lots of questions on the LFT (Lateral Flow Tests), particularly here in UK… The Chinese lockdown in Shanghai tells a lot of what we should expect from COVID…
Marine Money’s LONDON 2022 come back after two years on Monday 11 April, was more than a success. Over 250 moderators, speakers and delegates from all over Planet Ocean – nearly 20 nations companies’ delegates – a full house at London’s JW Marriott Grosvenor House at the main conference room. “The Environment is Everything in Shipping decision Making” was more than well received and got the top marks from all.
Congrats to Mia Jensen, Kevin Oates and their team for putting together such an event and theme with eight panels and seven individual speaker sessions. Standard Chartered proved a great partner! Great statements by Abisheck Pandey, Philippe Dauba-Pantanacee and Audrey Cherbonnier who proved a great moderator in the last panel “The new Responsibility of Shipping in the 2020’s”.
Some companies the have stands two, amongst them our friends IDWAL and VesselsValue. Good to see MLA College nice promotional brochures too.
A great cocktail reception sponsored by the IRI / Marshall Islands Registry; good to see so many friends from all over Planet Ocean.
The Indian National Maritime Day at the IMO was more than an exceptional anniversary with two great and touching speeches by Monica Kohli and Maria Dixon.
In Athens, Greece the Union of Coastal Shipowners had an interesting meeting with XRTC’s George Xiradakis on a great day making an important statement.
The Chios Marine Club’s newly elected BoD held its first AGM at the club’s HQs in central Piraeus and we will soon bring you the targets set for the next two years. Firstly, the tranfer over from the previous BoD took place and same was voted unanimously. Above all the Maritime Education, Conferences and Jobs issues were top on the agenda. Three of its members were successfuly connected via Skype. Watch this space.
Lastly we have ahead of us the double Easter Weekends – for Latins and Orthodoxs, and let us hope the Resurrection helps some fellow humans correct their behaviour or else…
Have a nice evening and long weekend , enjoy the two Easter weeks, but 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. As for the mess in Ukraine, you have not seen anything yet as well as its spread… 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$ 360 (three hundredandfifty) trillion… (we add ten trillion dollars from the Ukrainian fiasco).
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Uploaded 15 April 2022 11:00 BST
Updated 15 April 2022 11:55 BST
