The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, advanced for a second session on Thursday, surging 4.7% to a peak since October 2021 at 3,488 points. Shipping rates have increased significantly as higher demand for commodities, especially iron ore, coal and other bulk commodities, coincides with a tight supply of available vessels and longer shipping routes caused by geopolitical disruptions. The capesize index, which typically transports 150,000-ton cargoes including iron ore and coal, also increased for a second day, climbing 7.1% to its highest since late 2023 at 6,042 points. At the same time, the panamax index, which tracks vessels carrying around 60,000 to 70,000 tons of coal or grain, rose 1.2% to its highest since May 2026 at 2,457 points; and the supramax index went up 0.6% to 1,668 points.

The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, surged by 5.5% by 3,331 points on Wednesday, reaching its highest since December 2023. Gains were broad-based, led by the larger vessel segments. The capesize index, which typically transports 150,000-ton cargoes including iron ore and coal, jumped 8.1% to its highest since December 2023 at 5,642 points, supported by strong Atlantic and Pacific activity, despite weaker iron ore futures. At the same time, the panamax index, which tracks vessels carrying around 60,000 to 70,000 tons of coal or grain, rose 2.9% to a more than three-week high of 2,429 points, marking the eighth session of gains. Among smaller vessels, the supramax increased further by 0.7% to 1,657 points.

The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell about 0.9% to 3,157 points on Tuesday, halting a streak of seven straight sessions of advances. The capesize index, which typically transports 150,000-ton cargoes including iron ore and coal, also snapped a seven-day winning run, dropping by 2.1% to 5,221 points. On the other hand, the panamax index, which tracks vessels carrying around 60,000 to 70,000 tons of coal or grain, rose 1.9% to 2,360 points, marking the seventh session of gains; and the supramax index went up 0.2% to 1,650 points.