Will the time-charter market turnaround, stick or twist?

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Topsy-turvy markets over the past three years have seen freight rates see-saw wildly, caused by supply chain congestion, and that had the effect of raising charter rates and extending charter periods.

Base charter rate levels have remained higher than the pre-pandemic period, even as some charterers have re-negotiated deals, as extended time charters persist, maintaining the low number of available ships.

More recently the whiplash-inducing falls in containership markets over the latter part of 2022 have settled over the course of the ...