AXIA Capital Markets has jacked up its dry cargo rate forecasts amid the belief demand will continue to outpace supply growth in the coming years.

Analyst Clinton Webb raised his forecasts for capesize, panamax and supramax bulkers for 2018 and suggested improved rates awaited shipowners in each of the sectors in 2019.

“We believe that last year was just the first part of a drybulk recovery,” he said in a report.