Clarkson Share Discussion Threads

[andrbea] 08/11/2005 10:57

"The Chinese shipping market is booming, driven by the huge increase in outsourcing by western manufacturers and China's own appetite for becoming the workshop of the world. Bulk carriers feed China with raw materials which are converted into finished goods before racing out of the country on container ships.

Worldwide, the massive expansion in trade has created the biggest shipping boom in history, according to London broker H Clarkson. To those who control the narrow entry and export points – the container terminals – freight shipping is turning out to be liquid gold. "

[stokeite] 04/11/2005 14:54

Two interesting developments.
How risky is the derivatives market?
Still, if there is the possibility of 15% to 20% returns on investment it might be worth the risk. CKN should know what they are doing.
Results from BMS recently (interims) passed without comment on their BB.
The Chairman's comments gave some indication of current trading with wet cargoes doing well, it would seem. IMO both quoted shipbrokers seem cheap at current valuations

[andrbea] 04/11/2005 11:25

The merger news (see rns in header) is an interesting development


as is this story

Friday, 4th November 2005 06:07 GMT



Shipbroker Clarksons is moving ahead with plans to launch a Cayman Islands-registered, shipping-only hedge fund with seed capital of USD 20-30 million.

The aim is to secure returns of 15-20 per cent by high-risk trading strategies in both the dry bulk and tanker markets, primarily derivatives.

The fund will be launched at the start of 2006, with the world's largest shipbroker seeking to raise USD 200-300 million for the project.

Pierre Aury, managing director of Clarksons Capital, said that the minimum investment for anyone seeking to sign up would be GBP 1m. "But," he says: "We are looking at a number of people with a much bigger investment than that."

[andrbea] 31/10/2005 13:15

should boost the shipping sector

P&O is up 106(34%) on speculation that Dubai Ports is poised to make a £3bn offer

[lauders] 31/10/2005 11:20

Yes! But not on this thread Cambium.

Try this one:

[cambium] 30/10/2005 11:32

Is anyone still around?

[andrbea] 25/10/2005 08:51

LONDON (SHARECAST) - Shipping services firm Braemar Seascope delivered a rise in pre-tax profits buoyed by a strong demand for long-range transportation of oil and consumer goods.

/...


Chairman Graham Hearne said, "While it seems unlikely that the second half results will reach the levels of the first half, the outlook for the rest of the financial year nevertheless remains positive with freight rates in recent weeks having recovered quite significantly, particularly in the wet markets."

[andrbea] 21/10/2005 15:44

and in India:

Expectations of firm freight rates and stronger financials are adding to the sheen.

Indian shipping companies are sailing merrily. In the past quarter, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have upped their stake in most shipping companies.

Expectations of firm freight rates and stronger financials is attracting investors towards shipping stocks, a dealer said. A weakening rupee also benefits shipping companies which earn their revenues in dollars.

[andrbea] 21/10/2005 15:41

LONDON, Fri: The cost of shipping oil from the Persian Gulf to refineries in Asia on two million-barrel tankers rose to its highest in more than seven months because of a shortage of tonnage available for hire in the middle of November.

Freight rates for Very Large Crude Carriers, or VLCCs, typically gain in the fourth quarter as refiners increase oil imports when demand for heating fuel peaks in the northern hemisphere winter.

Costs on the benchmark route to Japan are about 54 per cent below year-ago levels, partly because of an increase in tanker supplies.

"I expect higher rates to be paid in the coming weeks," said Mathieu Philipe, a broker in Dubai for Paris-based shipbrokers Barry Rogliano Salles.

"Owners are very bullish at the moment and so we are likely to see strong rates for December shipments," he added.

Idemitsu Kosan Co, Japan's second-largest petroleum refiner, booked a VLCC, Asian Progress II, to load a cargo on November 14 at WS 110, as measured in the market's World scale point standard, shipbrokers including Oslo-based P.F. Bassoe said in notes to clients. - Bloomberg

[andrbea] 14/10/2005 15:48

China Shipping, Evergreen Marine Corp. and other Asian shipping lines are moving more cargo at higher rates as the region's exports of electronics, clothing and other goods to the U.S. and Europe increase. About 80% of global trade is carried by sea.

[andrbea] 07/10/2005 10:13

freight derivatives

[andrbea] 07/10/2005 10:10

Far East and Middle East ocean freight rates are set to rise by the end of October..

[james111] 05/10/2005 12:15

it seems like Lloyds has reduced their holdings by quiet a lot, looks as if they have moved on about 1.3% of the company in the last 4 trading days. In which case I think the price has held up well. Lets hope they have now finished with their disposals.
regards james.

[m.t.glass] 05/10/2005 08:52

Britannia rules waves again in shipping boom
By George Trefgarne, Economics Editor (Filed: 05/10/2005)
The Telegraph


Maritime services, a little known corner of the City left over from Britain's days as the world's leading sea trading nation, is booming and contributed a record £1.3billion to our net exports last year.

The boom means maritime services are now contributing twice as much to the economy as some manufacturing sectors, such as leather goods, and nearly as much as other pillars of the City, such as fund management.

According to International Financial Services London, the research organisation backed by the Corporation of London, overseas earnings from shipbrokers, insurers, bankers and lawyers working in the engine room of world trade saw their earnings rise by a massive 24pc last year.

The cause of the ship boom is rapid economic growth in China and also India and Brazil, as the world's most populous countries suck in imports and sell their exports into world markets.

Les Hayes, a partner in shipbroker Simpson Spence & Young, said: "It is not only a once in a generation event, it's a once in a lifetime event. I started in the market in 1964 and I don't recollect anything like it. It has been very kind to shipbrokers."

But Richard Fulford-Smith of Clarkson, the biggest quoted shipbroker, said: "Let's not get carried away. Most of the money from the boom has gone to lawyers.

"There is virtually no maritime industry left in Britain, thanks to the politicians, and most of our expansion is taking place overseas in Greece and Italy."

Clarkson shares have risen in value eightfold in the past three years. Earlier this week, stockbroker Collins Stewart Tullett said it is launching a freight derivatives arm.

The Baltic dry index, which is calculated by the Baltic Exchange from ship charter rates, shows how the cost of hiring a ship has gyrated wildly.

It hovered between 1,000 and 1,800 for nearly 20 years after its launch in 1985. Then in 2004, it hit a peak of over 5,000, as it did again early this year. It dropped sharply over the summer but picked up after Hurricane Katrina and yesterday was up 37 at 2,981.

The shipbroking community is extremely tightly knit and is based around 400 firms which employ 4,000 people in the City.

Between them, they match ships for half the world's oil cargoes and a third of the world's dry cargoes.

According to International Financial Services London, the total value of freight contracts in the over the counter derivatives market has shot up threefold since 2003 to £21billion.

[andrbea] 03/10/2005 14:55

don't know either

but graph of suezmax rates is rising steeply



With lack of suitable tonnage and a well maintained level of demand from West Africa, owners of Suezmax tankers have confirmed their much better health. Also helped by the revival of VLCCs, the increase on rates was regular all week long and can today be estimated at an average of WS165 for US and Europe destinations (from US$45,000 to US$52,000 US per day respectively) with a fair chance to continue next week. European markets also benefited from a similar favourable climate with rates jumping by about 20 points compared to the end of last week. Cross Med or voyages from the Black Sea achieved WS165 (about US$60,000 per day) and, in these zones, one can anticipate similar situation to prevail next week.

[philo124] 03/10/2005 14:42

Weird, was watching sells at 792p, put me off topping up; then went to lunch
& saw 5% move. Strange.
Philo

[james111] 03/10/2005 14:07

what was that
any idease why we get this sudden turn.
regards james

[andrbea] 30/9/2005 09:40

Tanker demand was hurt by a slowdown in Chinese imports in the second and third quarters as refiners struggled with rising crude oil costs and fixed gasoline prices, making it unprofitable to make fuels, Patrick Rodgers, the chief executive at Antwerp- based VLCC owner Euronav NV, said in an interview at the UBS Transport Conference in London on Sept. 20.

The lack of Chinese demand, which has been ``a bit of a party pooper'' in the past few months, is set to be reversed, Rodgers said. ``We expect to see a strong market in the fourth quarter and into the first quarter of next year. It all looks right in the stars.''

Companies including Irving, Texas-based Exxon Mobil Corp. and London-based BP Plc, the world's largest publicly traded oil producers, hire VLCCs to ship crude to refineries in North America, Europe and Asia from exporting countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Saudi Aramco, Kuwait Petroleum Co. and other Middle East oil exporters also hire tankers.

New York oil futures rose to more than $70 a barrel last month, following Hurricane Katrina. Oil-demand is ``strong,'' which will benefit the tanker market, said Tom Jebsen, the chief financial officer at Frontline, at the UBS conference.

``We will see a great winter season,'' Jebsen said. ``The fundamentals look really good. On top of that, we'd like some cold temperatures and a bit of bad weather.''