The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk index, which measures freight rates for ships carrying dry commodities, declined for a second consecutive session on Thursday, falling 4.3% to 2,138 points—its lowest level since February 27. Larger vessel segments came under pressure amid reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, reflecting disruption from the ongoing Middle East crisis.
The capesize index, which covers vessels typically transporting 150,000-ton cargoes such as iron ore and coal, dropped 7.8% to a three-week low of 2,951 points. The panamax index, tracking ships that usually carry 60,000 to 70,000 tons of coal or grain, slipped 0.8% to 1,997 points. In contrast, the supramax index was unchanged at 1,392 points.
