Sea-borne rates for transporting dry bulk industrial minerals fell this week with the market subdued in anticipation of the Christmas and New Year break.
Meanwhile, the outlook from major steel makers – which consume the majority of dry bulk raw materials – indicated that rates could languish into the start of 2012.
The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) was 1856 on 21 December compared with 1912 on 14 December. Capesize, Panamax, Supramax and Handysize were 3526, 1720,...