Bulker owners are holding on to projections that a combination of improved demand and slow fleet growth will translate into a positive market in the second half of this year, even after the first six months of 2014 proved worse than some had been expected.

However, the positive view is not unanimous, with the often-pessimistic Diana Shipping portraying a less-rosy forecast as New York-listed owners released their first round of second-quarter earnings reports.

Among