* Shipowners confident rates will climb on tighter tonnage
supply -broker
* Shipowners seek rates premium for Australian coal cargoes
-broker
By Keith Wallis
SINGAPORE Sept 17 (Reuters) - Freight rates for capesize
bulk carriers could continue to recover as ship owners scent the
possibility of higher cargo volumes on tighter tonnage supply,
ship brokers said.
"Owners and charterers are playing a game of cat and mouse,"
said a Singapore-based capesize ship broker.
Charterers were offering $12 per tonne for a capesize iron
ore cargo from Brazil to China while owners were holding out for
$13 per tonne, a Shanghai-based broker told Reuters on Thursday.
"Owners do have confidence rates will increase and are
grabbing the chance to push up the market," the Shanghai broker
said.
"The number of open vessels is getting fewer," the Shanghai
broker added.
Freight rates from Brazil and South Africa to Asia had
firmed in the last two days as operators including Cargill
CARGIL.UL and Pan Ocean chartered capesize vessels to haul
iron ore, Reuters freight data and another Singapore capesize
broker said.
"BHP Billiton (LONDON:BLT) BHP.AX and Rio Tinto (LONDON:RIO) RIO.AX are back in
the market today so rates from Australia to Asia will follow
suit," the second Singapore broker said.
Higher capesize rates for iron ore cargoes had spilled over
into Australian coal shipments with shipowners seeking $1-$1.50
per tonne more than for iron ore cargoes from Western Australia,
the Shanghai broker said.
"Owners are aggressive on the numbers - asking $6.50-$7 per
tonne - for coal cargoes," the Shanghai broker said.
Australian coal exports are expected to climb by 1 percent
to 375.6 million tonnes this year, according to British shipping
services firm Clarkson CKN.L .
South Korean coal imports will grow 4 percent to 133.2
million tonnes and Indian imports by 11 percent to 240.1 million
tonnes, while Chinese coal imports are forecast to drop 30
percent to 168.5 million tonnes, Clarkson said.
Charter rates for the Western Australia-China route .BAWB
were around $5.30 per tonne on Wednesday, virtually unchanged
from about $5.39 per tonne a week ago. Rates dropped at the end
of last week before rebounding this week.
Rates for the Brazil-China route .BATB were steady at
around $11.40 per tonne on Wednesday, the same as last week.
Panamax rates for a north Pacific round-trip voyage .BPHJ
climbed to $5,873 per day on Wednesday, up from $5,832 per day
the same day last week, on increased cargo demand.
"The market feels pretty good - rates are beginning to pick
up," said a Singapore-based panamax broker on Thursday.
Freight rates for smaller supramax vessels were around
$5,000 per day for an Indonesia roundtrip voyage, ship broker
Fearnley said in a Wednesday note.
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index .BADI fell to
814 on Wednesday, down from 855 last week.