Americas Report 27 August 2026

The dry cargo market in the WCSA showed initial optimism as expectations for increased cargo volume emerged; however, those hopes diminished early in the week with reduced activity, particularly in Handysize segments witnessing a surge in tonnage, leading to increased competition for available cargo. While the larger sizes maintained relatively low tonnage, keeping rates stable with only minor declines, the anticipation for firmer rates toward the end of Q3 and Q4 remains, bolstered by historical trends. Year-on-year comparisons indicate notable increases in Supramax and Handysize earnings, with Supramax rates to the Far East averaging USD 21.19 and Handysize to the same region averaging USD 15.75, highlighting a resilient market despite current challenges in the West Coast South America region.