Bulker operator Ultrabulk had a profitable year in 2024 and expects to stay in the black this year, but it said markets are becoming more difficult for operators to navigate.

The operator, which specialises in geared bulkers, said 2024 was slightly better than the previous year in terms of bulker earnings.

But Ultrabulk said “huge fluctuations” caused by weather changes, acts of war and environmental changes along with changes in demand made the market “difficult to foresee”.