News / Charter hire rates still hitting new heights, but are expected to soften

Containership charter rates and second-hand values are heading for a correction according to a broker source, after sector records were broken again in January.

February’s Horizon containerships report, from Maritime Strategies International (MSI), recorded daily hire benchmarks being smashed in all sizes as ocean carriers, niche shipping lines and forwarders competed for the same vessels.

The only dilemma keeping shipowners awake at nights is whether to take the huge daily hire rates on offer for short to medium periods, or bank the ...