Ocean Freight Rates Fall as Chemical Volumes Drop

Chemical tanker operators have begun to reduce freight rates amid falling volume demand, sources say. The 2009 demand outlook is uncertain, however, they say. Shipment quantities are down by more than 50% in some cases, which most analysts expect to continue into the first quarter of 2009, says Soren Wolmar, a ship broker at Quincannon Associates (New York). “After that, the expectations are that quantities will increase but not to the high level of the first three quarters or 2008,” Wolmar says. In the meantime, ship owners are cutting back capacity...

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