In a daily client briefing the researchers pointed out that the cost of newbuilding contracts in both categories has climbed by approximately $0.5m.
At a glance the gain may look minor but the analysts believe it is indicative of confidence in the long-term strength and stability of the dry-bulk market.
According to DNB, capesize newbuildings are now fetching around $53m a piece, which is roughly 15% higher than levels seen at the start of 2013.
By comparison, the Nordic investment bank claims the price of resales in this class has risen 30% over the same period of time to $52m.
On the panamax front DNB’s shipping researchers say a panamax newbuilding contract would set you back by around $27.5m in today’s market, which indicates that levels have jumped 8.0% over the last 10 months.
On a related note they were quick to point out that the average cost of a panamax resale has risen by approximately 13% to $31m, which suggests that owners are willing to pay a premium for prompt delivery.
While capes and panamaxes that trade in the spot market aren’t seeing the same highs achieved just a few months back, operators of tonnage in these categories are still enjoying day rates that are above levels many owners need to breakeven.
According to researchers at Global Hunter Securities and data from the Baltic Exchange, capesize bulkers were commanding around $18,800 per day on Tuesday while panamax averages slipped to approximately $12,100 per day.
