Guesses made by Clarksons' clients last year as to the extent of rises in the shipbroker's ClarkSea Index of key rates have proved way off the mark.

It seems nobody could have foreseen record rates for containerships and bulkers in booming markets.

Every year, readers of the UK group's Shipping Intelligence Weekly are invited to submit their predictions of the value of the ClarkSea Index at the start of November the following year.