Shipping and the New Commodities "Supercycle"

A scorching surge in prices of key commodities has turbo-charged dry bulk shipping in recent months. Demand for iron ore, copper and timber - driven by a fast recovery from the Covid-19 trade slump particularly in Asia - has prompted talk we are heading into a new commodities ‘supercycle’.  It has lifted freight rates to levels not seen since the 2000s boom.

As the official shipping forum of the Singapore International Ferrous Week 2021 (SIFW 2021) and powered by shipping industry’s most influential and independent news-source TradeWinds, join the TradeWinds Shipowners Forum on 14 July to hear whether the dry cargo demand boom will be resilient, and how shipowners and operators can best position themselves for success.

With both commodity production facilities and shipping capacity crimped in the last decade by low prices and low investment, our panellists will discuss how both charterers and shipowners may reap the benefits of today’s demand spike. Strong markets will increase demand for new ships, but how are players assessing how to resolve the conundrum of today’s and tomorrow’s fuel choices?

And as pressure to cut carbon pollution from all industries intensifies, we will hear how ship operators and charterers are working together to cut their carbon footprint and improve their social and governance performance.

We will hold two exciting panels of experts to discuss and share insights on –

Panel One: Will the commodities supercycle drive a new shipping supercycle?

Panel Two: Singapore, shipping and the energy transition