Spot freight rates for clean cargoes traveling within the Mediterranean and on Black Sea-Mediterranean routes are rising on the back of a pick-up in fresh cargo activity, sources said Wednesday.

The Mediterranean market have experienced an active week so far with a flurry of cargoes coming in, which is helping clear some of the idle ships in the region.

As a result, spot freight rates for clean cargoes on this route have risen steadily this week.

Freight rates for clean 30,000 mt cargoes in the Med were pegged at w130-132.50 on Wednesday morning, after this rate was assessed at w130 on Tuesday, which is a rise of w5 from Friday last week, Platts data shows.

Market sources said the Pretty World carrying a 30,000 mt gasoil cargo and the Cape Bon, which will be carrying a 30,000 mt naphtha cargo, were both fixed at w130 on a cross-Med journey for early-September loading dates.

A similar trend was seen on the Black Sea to Med freight market, which tends to move in line with cross-Med routes.

Black Sea-Med routes were assessed at w130 on Tuesday, a jump of 5 points from Monday, according to Platts data.

Sources said that there were not as many cargoes seen ex-Black Sea so far this week but that there would be more inquiries by the end of the week.

Sources said the Andromeda was fixed at w130 on a Black Sea-Med route for early-September loading dates.

"Cross-Med has firmed a bit this week. Vessels were fixed at w127.5 a few times but now w130 seems to be the rate," said a shipbroker.

Source: Platts