Tianjin Shipping Index (TSI)

Week 20 (May 16-May 20), Tianjin Container Freight Index (TCI) continued to decrease. Tianjin Bulk Freight Index (TBI) increased at first and then decreased. Tianjin Domestic Container Freight Index (TDI) saw a shock. Tianjin Shipping Index (TSI) increased at the beginning of the week, then decreased at the end of the week and was closed at 490.66 points with an decrease of 0.33% from May 13 (the last release day of Week 19). The TCI trend is shown in the chart below:

The chart above shows the trends of TSI from May 9 to May 20. The value of TSI in Week 20 is shown in the table below:

Tianjin Container Freight Index (TCI)

Week 20, 2016 (May 16-May 20), the TCI trend is shown in the chart below:

In Week 20, TCI continued to decrease.

On May 16 (Mon.), the freight rates in European route, Mediterranean route, North American route, Persian Gulf route decreased slightly. The freight rates in South American West Coast route and Central South American route increased. TCI increased 0.07% on a day-on-day basis. From May 17 to May 20 (Tue.-Fri.), the freight rates in European route, Mediterranean route, South American route, Persian Gulf route decreased overall. TCI decreased 6.94% on four consecutive release days.

TCI eventually closed at 396.57 points on May 20 with a decrease of 29.27 points (6.87%) from May 13 (the last release day of Week 19).

The TCI index value and ups and downs on a day-on-day basis are shown as follows:

European/ Mediterranean route

The most of shipping companies continued to control shipping capacity. However, because the freight rates continued to increase overall in the beginning and the shipper’s shipment motivation was suppressed, the high freight rate could not hold on. The freight rates saw a downward trend this week. The freight index in European route, Mediterranean East route, Mediterranean West route decreased 8.79%, 10.98%, 14.38% on a week-on-week basis respectively.

North American route

The shipmen volume did not see an upward trend. The shipping capacity was large. The freight rates decreased from April. Some shipping companies continued to decrease the freight rate with a limited extent in order to maintain loading rate. The freight index in North American West Coast route and North American East Coast route decreased 1.47% and 0.58% respectively this week.

South American route

The freight rates in different routes were mixed. After increasing GRI twice, the present freight rate was the highest level from Jan. 2016. But the shipment volume demand did not change obviously. The high freight rate could not hold on in the future. The freight rates in South American West Coast route and Central South American route increased overall. At the beginning of the week, the freight rates in South American West Coast route and Central South American route increased sharply. Afterwards, the freight rates decreased slightly in order to strive for supply of shipment. The freight index of South American West Coast route and Central South American route increased 7.24% and 8.23% respectively this week. The freight rate in South American East Coast route continued to decrease. The freight index of South American East Coast route decreased 2.21% on a week-on-week basis.

Persian Gulf route

The sharply increasing shipment volume in the short term resulting from the centralized purchasing by the importer before the Ramadan was basically over. The market returned to be weak. The freight index decreased 7.74% this week.

Tianjin Bulk Freight Index (TBI)

Week 20, 2016 (May 16-May 20), Tianjin Bulk Freight Index (TBI) is shown as follows:

In week 20, the TBI continued increasing tendency at first and dropped slightly at the end of this week.

From May 16 to 18 (Mon. to Wed.), the freight rates for coal and grain increased slightly, but mineral ore rate rose dramatically. The TBI increased about 8.83% on three consecutive releasing days. And then the freight rate for grain continued increasing tendency, The freight rate for coal decreased from the increasing tendency, and the freight rate for mineral ore dropped down dramatically. The TBI from May 19 to 20 (Thur. to Fri.) dropped down continuously and decreased 3.04% totally.

Eventually, the dry bulk market ended with TBI at 455.60 points, an increase of 23.32points (5.52%).

TBI index value saw several ups and downs on a day-on-day basis are shown as follows:

The coal market ended with TBCI at 298.00 points this week. The TBCI increased 12.93 points（4.54%）from May 13 (the last release day of Week 19). The Panamax vessels were limited chartered in Pacific market, but with the increasing of the whole market of Panamax chartering, the rate of DBCT to Tianjin increased continuously with a total increase nearly 5.0% this week. The Capesize freight rate increased distinctly at first, and then dropped down in the end. The rate of Hay Point to Tianjin increased over 4.0%.

The TBGI of grain market increased continuously this week and ended at 402.93 points, an increase of 17.90 points (4.65%) from May13 (the last release day of Week 19). The steady demand of grain market transportation and the rising of oil price in South American supported the freight rate market robustly. Among which, most of the ships were chartered by South American to US Gulf route. The freight rate for South American to Tianjin increased nearly 4.8% this week, US Gulf to Tianjin rate increased over 5% totally this week. In contrast with the above, and West Coast America to Tianjin rate increased slightly about 2.5% this week.

The mineral ore market ended with TBMI at 635.88 points, with a dramatic increased at start and dropped down at the end of this week. The TBMI increased 39.13 points (6.56%) from May 13 (the last release day of Week 19). For iron ore, the continuous rise of the international bunker price at the start of this week boosted the freight rate of Capesize ship chartering recovering. The rising of the stocked iron ore at the main ports of China suppressed the demand of import, so the freight market became flexible. Australia to North China and Tubarao (Brazil) to Tianjin rates both presented the falling trend after initially rising tendency, and the increase rates were 10.76% and 4.37% respectively. As for nickel ore, the handysize market increased steadily as last week. Surigao to Tianjin rate increased nearly 0.5%, and Celebes to Tianjin remained almost the same as last week.

Tianjin Domestic Container Freight Index (TDI)

Week 20, 2016 (May 16-May 20), Tianjin Domestic Container Freight Index (TDI) was released and the trend is shown in the chart below.

In Week 20, the TDI shocked.

On May 16 (Mon.), Inward Index increased, and the TDI continue the upward trend, up 0.88% on a day-on-day basis. Outward Index kept stable, and Inward Index got slight fluctuation. The TDI kept at 813 points. From May 19 (Thu.) to May 20 (Fri.), both the Outward Index and Inward Index declined, and the TDI decreased 0.72% on two consecutive release days.

Finally, the TDI closed at 807.34 points, increasing 1.41 points (0.17%) from May.13 (the last release day of Week 19).

The TDI index value and ups and downs on a day-on-day basis are shown as follows：

Tianjin Domestic Container Outward Freight Index (TDOI) continued the previous upward trend, ending with the TDOI at 920.73 points on May 20(Fri.), falling 11.02 points or 1.18% from May 13 (the last release day of Week 19). The Tianjin-Guangzhou route market volume remains in the doldrums. Price fight for sourcing is still the mainstream of the market, so the freight rate continued to decline, and the decline has increased. The freight rate of this route decreased 1.58% on a week-on-week basis. Although the market volume did not recovered, the freight rate in the Tianjin-Quanzhou route and Tianjin-Shanghai route remained stable.

Tianjin Domestic Container Inward Freight Index (TDII) in this week shocked and the TDII closed at 693.94 points on May 20 (Fri.), increasing 13.84 points (2.04%) from May 13 (the last release day of Week 19). The demand in northbound routes has not been improved. In the Guangzhou-Tianjin route, the rate in this route rose slightly earlier this week, but later it decreased for the lack of volume support, and it finally closed at 662.04 points increasing 2.87%. The freight rate in Shanghai-Tianjin route increased 0.52%. The freight rate in Quanzhou-Tianjin route kept stable.