After a weak of strong recovery the capesize market went quiet just before the weekend.

Period charters took over in the panamax and supramax sectors with short term deals in the latter and one for possibly up to three years in the former.

Panamaxes

Bunge has the 74,300-dwt Diamond Seas (built 2001) for two years from the middle of next year at $16,250 per day. There is also an option to tag on a further year at $18,500 daily.

GMI spent $17,750 per day for a year with the 73,600-dwt Lowlands Julian (built 2004).

The charterer also booked the 74,600-dwt Isminaki (built 1998) for four to six months at $24,000, Eastern Ocean getting the 75,300-dwt Ever Mighty (built 1996) for the same period at $19,750.

Cargill made the big voyage play of the day spending $33,000 daily on a trip from the UK to the US Gulf and Far East with the 71,700-dwt Grand Markela (built 1990). Also on a front haul is the 71,700-dwt Transgiant (built 1993) at $32,750.

Cargill also spent $27,500 a day for the 74,200-dwt Oregon (built 2002) to head from Ireland to Canada and back to the Med.

Also in the Atlantic Swiss Marine has the 82,600-dwt Iron Bradyn (built 2005) from South America to the UK at $25,000 a day plus $0.5m in ballast bonus.

Bunge has the 82,500-dwt Bulk Brasil (built 2008) from the Far East to Australia and back at $22,500.

A trip from India to China cost $26,000 a day with the 76,600-dwt Golden Sakura (built 2007) while Oldendorff has the 72,600-dwt Theofylaktos (built 1995) for a similar journey at $32,100.

Supramaxes

There was a plethora of period charters for between four and six months. The 53,500-dwt Fratzis Star (built 2005) got $18,500, the 52,100-dwt Bikan (built 2001) $18,000, the 50,800-dwt Jin Fu (built 2001) $17,500 and the 47,100-dwt Shan Hai (built 1998) $15,000.

A trip from the US to Japan set Norden back $32,000 a day with the 55,900-dwt Navios Ulysses (built 2007).

And Western Bulk Carriers has the 58,000-dwt Ilia (built 2009) from Brazil to the US Gulf at $21,000.