European liner companies have lately expressed strong interest in free charter containerships, with Greek shipowners receiving significant premiums for modern ships.
“Charterers appear bewildered by ever-increasing spot rates, while shipowners are surprised by the market’s rapid upward movement, seeing new milestones in charter levels day after day,” freight brokerage Braemar commented.
“On the charter front, activity remains healthy and freight rates are up for another week as demand for freight remains strong, particularly in the intra-Pacific region,” freight broker WeberSeas said.
“Another key factor behind the rise in freight rates is the increase in port congestion and the fact that charterers are taking ships earlier than usual in order to mitigate the risks of delay linked to potential disruptions in the global supply chain,” the analysts added.
Greek shipowners
As Braemar analysts reported, demand is currently being driven by large European liners, chartering several ships of Greek interests.
More specifically, the Tsakos Group has chartered the newly built Irenes Rally (with a capacity of 2,782 TEUs) for a period of 12-15 months, for 33,000 dollars per day.
