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.
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 dipped to 6.3Mt/Wk as of 3-May’26, down -13% YoY and -14% MoM, the lowest since Mar’26.
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.
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 have rebounded sharply after Tropical Cyclone Narelle, rising +13% WoW to a seasonal weekly record of 18.9Mt (+2.5% YoY).
Global bauxite loadings are running at record pace despite weak economics and geopolitical noise.
Simandou, the rising star of Guinea, is ramping up, but exports are lagging.
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.
China’s coal imports started 2026 on a mixed note. Feb’26 imports declined -10% YoY to 30.9Mt, as stronger renewable generation and…
After the US–Israeli air strikes on Iran this weekend, Middle East tensions escalated into open conflict.
Strait of Hormuz tensions are lifting freight risk across tankers and dry bulk with duration deciding the macro outcome.
Bulk carrier deliveries in Cal’26 are set to hit their highest level since 2012, signalling a cyclical peak in fleet expansion.
With Western Australian ports/mines still unscathed, no lasting impact from Cyclone Mitchell (2 weeks ago) and this week’s…
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 weekly coal loadings rebounded to 6.9Mt as of 01-Feb, up +24% YoY and the highest for this…
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.
In Dec’25, China’s blast-furnace iron output fell further by -9.9% or -2.6% MoM to 60.7Mt, marking a seventh consecutive monthly decline.
China’s steel exports surged to a record 11.3 Mt in Dec’25, lifting Cal’25 shipments to an all-time high of 119 Mt (+7% YoY), as mills and traders aggressively pushed volumes overseas at year-end.
China’s power generation continued to expand through 2025, repeatedly setting new seasonal records.
