The Quiet Descent: Ship Recycling Industry
World’s leading cash buyer of obsolete vessels for demolition GMS says that the ship recycling industry is currently facing a challenging time, with a gloomy sentiment descending upon all major recycling destinations. The ongoing struggles with L/C financing and a shortage of vessels for recycling have made matters worse. Additionally, the ongoing month of Ramadan has led to softer sentiments across the board, and business seems to have taken a backseat for the time being.
Volatile steel plate prices have added to the situation brewing at various recycling destinations, with most end-users of fresh tonnage choosing to wait and watch developments before offering afresh on any new vessels being proposed. The sub-continent markets are already facing a cooling of performance due to the oncoming Monsoon season, and this will only further aggravate the present situation.
The Turkish market is echoing similar sentiments and fundamentals as the sub-continent markets, including the Lira, which continues to relapse every week. Even though the supply and availability of space at dormant plots are plentiful, getting vessels delivered in time will be a painful process as both Bangladesh and Pakistan markets require lengthy central state bank approval processes to open new L/Cs.
Despite the difficulties, there have been some renewed positivities in the freight markets for Dry Bulk and Containers of late. However, this has not been enough to offset the challenges that the recycling industry is currently facing. As a result, the GMS demo rankings/pricing for the week are showing a mixed picture across various locations, with Bangladesh and India still showing positive sentiment, while Pakistan and Turkey are currently weak and steady, respectively.
In conclusion, the ship recycling industry is facing a challenging time, with a quiet descent in prices, demand, and sentiments. However, there are still some pockets of positivity that offer hope for a better future, and the industry will need to remain patient and wait for the market to open post Ramadan to see how things develop.
Dry Bulk: The dry bulk sector is showing positive sentiment in Bangladesh, where prices are currently at USD 590/LDT. The prices in India are also promising, at USD 570/LDT. However, Pakistan is currently showing weak sentiment in this sector, with prices at USD 540/LDT. Meanwhile, Turkey is steady, with prices at USD 330/LDT.
Tankers: The tanker sector is showing positive sentiment in both Bangladesh and India, with prices at USD 610/LDT and USD 580/LDT, respectively. Pakistan is slightly weaker in this sector, with prices at USD 550/LDT. Turkey, on the other hand, is steady, with prices at USD 340/LDT.
Containers: The container sector is showing the strongest positive sentiment in Bangladesh, where prices are currently at USD 630/LDT. India is also showing promise in this sector, with prices at USD 600/LDT. Pakistan is relatively weak in this sector, with prices at USD 560/LDT. Turkey is steady, with prices at USD 350/LDT.