Analysis: the rollercoaster ride of the charter market in 2020

ID 18481035 © Gary Blakeley | Dreamstime.com

Containership time-charter markets have, with few exceptions, experienced a rollercoaster ride since the start of 2020.

After a generally weak start to the year for feeder vessels and a continuation of 2019’s strong markets for mid-size and larger units, the onset of lockdowns drove a correction in vessel earnings.

Since then, however, time-charter markets have roared back into life, and vessel earnings for key benchmarks have risen at least as fast, if not faster than they fell earlier in the year.

Starting with ...