China’s coal burn at the six major coastal power groups hit a seasonal high of 0.8Mt/day last week, while Guangdong’s power load reached…
Why judgement is becoming the scarcest commodity in dry bulk markets
Dry bulk markets have become faster, noisier and more transparent. AIS, pricing and flow data have made parts of the market visible in near real time. Yet visibility is not foresight. Human judgement, context and intuition still determine who stays ahead of the curve.
Guinea: last week saw iron ore shipments above 1.2Mt/Wk
Guinea iron ore exports stepped up sharply last week, doubling WoW from 0.6Mt to 1.2Mt/week.
Simandou’s export ramp-up accelerates
Guinea’s Simandou iron ore exports are accelerating faster than expected, supported by improving infrastructure readiness and stronger iron ore economics. IFCHOR GALBRAITHS’ latest analysis explores the implications for export flows and dry bulk markets.
China enters the US-China presidential summit in Beijing with little urgency to buy soybeans
As the US President arrives in Beijing with a broader delegation of American CEOs — including Cargill’s CEO — China’s soybean balance looks anything but tight.
Brazil iron ore loadings lower on terminal maintenance
Brazil iron ore loadings dipped to 6.3Mt/Wk as of 3-May’26, down -13% YoY and -14% MoM, the lowest since Mar’26.
World coal loadings hit 5-Year High on anticipation of peak cooling demand
Coal loadings rose +7% YoY to a record 47.2Mt/wk last week, driven by China tightening gas allocation amid geopolitical risk and El Niño expectations, lifting coal demand and freight rates.
Hormuz Fertiliser trap: ~1Mt stranded as global supply tightens
Over 1Mt of fertilisers — mainly sulphur, urea and phosphates — loaded since late Feb’26 and bound for export markets beyond the Strait of Hormuz remain effectively trapped.
Australian iron ore exports rebound to seasonal weekly record
Australian iron ore exports have rebounded sharply after Tropical Cyclone Narelle, rising +13% WoW to a seasonal weekly record of 18.9Mt (+2.5% YoY).
Weekly bauxite loadings reached a new record
Global bauxite loadings are running at record pace despite weak economics and geopolitical noise.
Simandou the rising star of Guinea
Simandou, the rising star of Guinea, is ramping up, but exports are lagging.
Sharp slowdown of China’s electric-arc furnace output at the start of 2026
China’s Electric-Arc Furnace (EAF) steel output fell -24.4% YoY to 11.0Mt in Feb’26, underperforming the broader market as weak margins and soft demand persisted.
Coal imports in China are mirroring Indonesian coal exports
China’s coal imports started 2026 on a mixed note. Feb’26 imports declined -10% YoY to 30.9Mt, as stronger renewable generation and…
Monitoring the de facto closure of Hormuz Strait
After the US–Israeli air strikes on Iran this weekend, Middle East tensions escalated into open conflict.
Strait of Hormuz escalation: tankers and dry bulk in focus
Strait of Hormuz tensions are lifting freight risk across tankers and dry bulk with duration deciding the macro outcome.
2026: a decade-high in bulk deliveries
Bulk carrier deliveries in Cal’26 are set to hit their highest level since 2012, signalling a cyclical peak in fleet expansion.
Iron ore prices dipping to a 5-year seasonal low
With Western Australian ports/mines still unscathed, no lasting impact from Cyclone Mitchell (2 weeks ago) and this week’s…
Policy-driven supply constraints weigh on Indonesia’s coal exports
Indonesia’s coal exports have started Cal’26 on the back foot, with shipments so far at ~70Mt, down -31% YoY from 101Mt in the same Cal’25 period.
Australian coal loadings surge as Indonesian supply uncertainty grows
Australian weekly coal loadings rebounded to 6.9Mt as of 01-Feb, up +24% YoY and the highest for this…
VLOC deliveries return in 2026 after long pause
In the VLOC segment, after several years without newbuilding deliveries and a stagnant fleet profile, deliveries are set to resume in 2026, signalling a return to fleet expansion.