As rates perk up, dry bulk is turning bullish.

Stifel analyst Ben Nolan opened and closed Marine Money's bulker owner panel on Tuesday with a poll of attendees where at the start 59% said the sector had seen the bottom, with that figure rising slightly to 61% by the end.

In addition to viewers, the three New York-listed owners on the panel Genco Shipping & Trading's John Wobensmith, Hamish Norton of Star Bulk and Golden Ocean Group head Ulrik Andersen believed the sector had hit the bottom.