

Weight of Freight: VLGC troubles to persist through the rainy season at Panama Canal
Weight of Freight: VLGC troubles to persist through the rainy season at Panama Canal
As draught restrictions ease with the start of a much-awaited rainy season in the Panama Canal, difficulties are likely to persist for very large gas carriers (VLGCs) as other shipping markets move back to the route and escalate competition for transit slots.
Listen to Andres Pacheco, Analyst at the LPG Trading desk for Spain’s Repsol, and Yohanna Pinheiro, LPG Freight Market Reporter, discuss how increased competition to transit the Panama Canal and other market drivers will shape the costs of shipping LPG.
Listen now
Key topics covered
- Competitive advantages of the Panama Canal route in US-Asia routes for VLGCs
- Details of the Panama Canal booking system and slot auction price trends
- Effects of eased restrictions at the canal in heightening competition for slots among other markets
- Weather outlook and possible La Nina effects in the markets
- Long term projects to alleviate transits at Panama Canal
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Scorpio Tankers' profits plunge in January-March
Scorpio Tankers' profits plunge in January-March
Singapore, 7 May (Argus) — New York-listed shipowner Scorpio Tankers' net income and time charter equivalent (TCE) revenue plunged by 76pc on the year in January-March, because of lower average daily TCE rates and a reduced fleet size. Scorpio's adjusted net income was at $49mn in the first quarter, down sharply from $206.6mn in the first quarter of 2024. The TCE rate for Scorpio's fleet decreased to $23,971/d in January-March from $39,660/d a year earlier. The company projects the TCE rate for the second quarter at $26,139/d. The company in early 2024 reported favourable market conditions, because of rising consumption and high export volumes. Disruptions in the Red Sea had prompted much of the global shipping fleet to divert around the Cape of Good Hope, and this rerouting significantly boosted tonne-mile demand. This boosted average daily spot TCE rates for the company's Long Range 2 (LR2) vessels, which are primarily used for these extended routes, to record highs during the first quarter of 2024. Red Sea transits remained limited throughout 2024, but global refined oil product supply chains adjusted, so tonne-mile demand fell to more typical levels during the second half of 2024 and into early 2025, according to Scorpio Tankers. Concurrently, refinery maintenances took place earlier than usual, peaking in February and March, which contributed to a drop in refined product exports. The company also said the average number of vessels operated was 99 during the three months ending 31 March, down from 110.9 during the same period in 2024. This contributed to Scorpio Tankers' lower TCE revenues in the first quarter of 2025. Scorpio's fleet consists of 99 ships, comprising 38 LR2 vessels, 47 Medium Range (MR) ships and 14 Handymaxes. The fleet's weighted average age is approximately 9 years. By Sureka Elangovan and Lisa Cheng Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
В ПГК сменился гендиректор
В ПГК сменился гендиректор
Moscow, 29 April (Argus) — Алексей Винников назначен генеральным директором Первой грузовой компании (ПГК), сменив на этому посту Олега Романова, говорится в официальном сообщении компании от 29 апреля. Романов, возглавлявший ПГК с августа 2024 г., в свою очередь, продолжит работать в этой компании на позиции первого заместителя генерального директора и отвечать за взаимодействие с РЖД. Изменения в команде топ-менеджмента обеспечат не только преемственность в работе компании, но и усиление экспертизы в оперировании благодаря внедрению новых идей и подходов, что особенно важно в условиях динамично меняющегося рынка, отмечается в пресс-релизе ПГК. Основными задачами Винникова станут укрепление позиций оператора на рынке грузовых железнодорожных перевозок и формирование стратегии развития компании на ближайшие годы. Я рад возглавить Первую грузовую компанию и намерен применять свои опыт и знания для реализации амбициозных целей, которые сегодня стоят перед нами, — приводятся слова Винникова в сообщении компании. В управлении ПГК находится около 100 тыс. вагонов, включая полувагоны и крытый парк, по информации участников рынка. Алексей Винников окончил Московский институт инженеров транспорта в 2007 г. С 2011 г. работал в департаменте корпоративных финансов РЖД, в 2011—2019 гг. занимал должность директора по экономике — начальника департамента экономики Федеральной грузовой компании, принадлежащей РЖД. С февраля 2024 г. по апрель 2025 г. возглавлял Атлант. Руководство Атлантом возьмет на себя материнская структура — функции единоличного исполнительного органа будут переданы лизинговой компании Трансфин-М, сообщили Argus в пресс-службе Атланта. В свою очередь, Трансфин-М с октября 2024 г. возглавляет бывший замминистра транспорта Иннокентий Алафинов. В управлении Атланта на момент публикации находится 63,9 тыс. различных вагонов, в том числе — 51 тыс. полувагонов, 9,8 тыс. крытых вагонов и около 3 тыс. единиц прочих родов, по данным компании. Источники на рынке оперирования полагают, что в ближайшем будущем стоит ожидать взаимной интеграции активов ПГК и Атланта, включая оперативный обмен парком, если это будет выгодно в той или иной ситуации. Обе компании не стали опровергать это предположение. В пресс-службе компании сообщили, что ПГК открыта для сотрудничества со всеми операторами для выполнения своих бизнес-задач и удовлетворения потребностей клиентов. В то же время в Атланте отметили, что компания взаимодействует с операторами грузового подвижного состава для эффективного выполнения своих бизнес-задач для повышения эффективности клиентов. Константин Мозговой ___________________ Больше ценовой информации и аналитических материалов о рынке транспортировки навалочных, генеральных грузов и контейнеров — в ежемесячном отчете Argus Логистика сухих грузов . Подписаться на аналитический дайджест Вы можете присылать комментарии по адресу или запросить дополнительную информацию feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Группа Argus Media . Все права защищены.
US' Chinese ship port fee decision Thursday: USTR
US' Chinese ship port fee decision Thursday: USTR
New York, 16 April (Argus) — The US Trade Representative's (USTR) office said it will release details Thursday on proposed fees for operators of Chinese-built ships calling at US ports. The closely-watched proposals — part of President Donald Trump's plan to kick-start a flagging US shipbuilding industry and challenge Chinese dominance in the sector — were the subject of hearings and public comments last month in Washington, DC. The original proposal included fees of up to $1.5mn per port call for ships based on the percentage of Chinese-built vessels in an operator's fleet. Shipping market participants said the proposals could significantly curtail US import and exports and hurt the broader economy. Higher costs for shipping would likely be passed on to US consumers . Since the public hearings, the USTR has signaled that the fees would likely be less onerous than under the original proposal, and that not all of them would be implemented . By Charlotte Bawol Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Japan’s Honda to produce more cars in US, less locally
Japan’s Honda to produce more cars in US, less locally
Tokyo, 16 April (Argus) — Japanese car producer Honda will produce a car model at its US facility instead of its domestic facility from as early as June, the company told Argus today, possibly to avoid the US' tariffs on foreign car deliveries. Honda will stop manufacturing the Civic Hybrid 5-door model at the country's eastern Yorii plant during June-July and switch the production to its US plant in the state of Indianna, the representative of the firm told Argus . Honda produced 3,000 units of the model during February and March, he added. This comes as part of the company's mid-to long term "optimisation strategy", according to the firm, reiterating that theproduction switch is not a countermeasure against the US' across-the-board 25pc tariff on automobile imports that took effect on 3 April. But this may not be entirely convincing since Honda just started producing the model in February, leaving room for speculation that the transfer is part of a wider strategy to reduce delivery costs to the US market. Honda did not disclose whether the Indiana plant will procure auto parts from its suppliers in Canada or Mexico . Japanese auto industry is still bracing for further developments in the US tariff policy on automobile and auto parts, although US president Donald Trump on 14 April suggested possibly pausing the tariff. Tokyo and Washington will hold a ministerial talk this week to negotiate trade issues, including the levy on auto delivery, along with the 24pc "reciprocal" tariffs the Trump administration separately imposed on Japanese imports. Japanese government is hoping to negotiate for a better tariff deal during the 90-day pause on the reciprocal tariff imposition by the US government, and the automobile industry is seen as a key sector to settle the deal. The US president has long expressed his dissatisfaction against the auto trade imbalance between two countries. Japan exported around 1.3mn units of passenger vehicles to the US in 2024, while Japan purchased around 23,000 units of US passenger vehicles in 2023. By Yusuke Maekawa Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
