Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 Dec 1984

Vol. 354 No. 12

Written Answers. - Deep-Sea Freight Rates.

35.

Mr. Wilson

asked the Minister for Communications the estimated world freight rates for deep-sea shipping operations in 1984; and the corresponding actual rates since 1977.

Minister for Communications (Mr. J. Mitchell)

As the reply is mainly in the form of a tabular statement I propose to circulate it in the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

Freight rates are constantly changing and vary as between cargoes, types of ships, routes and other factors. The following are, however, indicative rates for the period covered by the question:—

February 1977	Panamax	$2,500 per day
	(60—72,000 dwt)
	Handisized	$3,700 per day
	(28—32,000 dwt)
February 1979	Panamax	$8,420 per day
	Handisized	$6,330 per day
February 1981	Panamax	$18,000 per day
	Handisized	$8,500 per day
February 1984	Panamax	$4,120 per day
	Handisized	$4,000 per day
November 1984	Panamax	$5,600 per day
	Handisized	$3,850 per day

The latest available time trip charter index compiled by the General Council of British Shipping follows:

Tramp Trip Charter Index (Year 1976 = 100)

Combined Index Figure

	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
January	86	86	119	207	234	114	89	100
February	90	90	120	217	227	111	91	97
March	89	92	129	247	211	131	108	106
April	90	100	149	275	214	137	104	111
May	86	118	166	269	209	131	115	115
June	85	119	187	270	204	118	111	107
July	77	104	190	234	191	88	89	94
August	79	105	181	217	172	79	91	103
September	82	122	183	220	154	85	89	100
October	86	122	214	206	154	95	92	104
November	89	134	235	237	143	94	104	113
December	90	123	239	233	135	97	98

The above index takes no account of inflation.