Volatile trade prospects and political policies are set to dominate earnings potential for the dry cargo market, says a new report from Maritime Strategies International (MSI).

As a result the UK-based research consultancy is forecast weak forward prospects for the dry bulk sector for the first quarter of 2017.

“January was a mixed month for the bulker market, though on the whole rates were not as bad as had been anticipated by MSI, despite a month-on-month fall for all but the capesize benchmark,” says MSI senior analyst Will Fray.

“Indeed