Clarksons has raised its price assessment of modern capesize bulkers helped by expectation of an improving market and a tight supply of available tonnage.

Its brokers are now pricing a five-year-old capesize at $40m, reflecting a trend that has seen second-hand ship values across all sectors climb by 6% in 2018 to date.

Higher bids in the market are pushing prices up at a time of few quality vessels available for sale, according to Herman Hidlan and Frode Morkedal of Clarksons Capital Markets.