Leading publisher of maritime market benchmarks, the Baltic Exchange, has launched a new service for shipping investors which provides a snapshot five-year view of the financial prospects of dry bulk carriers. 

The Baltic Exchange Investor Indices are an easy to use online dashboard displaying data relevant to vessel investment decisions, residual value, health of earnings, spot and five-year timecharter earnings; purchase & recycling values; and running costs. It offers a high level of clarity and transparency for investors in capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize vessel types. Tanker and gas carrier assets will be added at a later date.

Subscribers to the Baltic Exchange Investor Indices are offered a health of earnings index which compares spot income with daily running costs; an investment index which provides a write-down value of the vessel over five years; and an implied residual risk assessment which gives the recycling steel value of the vessel as a ratio of its implied residual value. 

Commenting on the new service, Baltic Exchange Chief Executive Mark Jackson said:

“The Baltic Exchange is a credible, established and regulated provider of data for the shipping industry. The recent addition of operating cost assessments to our portfolio of spot, forward market, Sale & Purchase and recycling indices means that we now cover the financial lifecycle of the vessel. By splicing and dicing our data we are able to deliver an innovative new product which provides shipowners, banks, family offices and funds with an independent, easy to use benchmark which shows them the current and expected performance of key asset classes.”