Moving cement by sea is a difficult business, often requiring dedicated vessels fitted with specialist equipment. Shipowners and operators also have to manage freight rate fluctuations, new environmental regulations and what happens when there are not enough ships to go round. By James Johnston, Braemar ACM Shipbroking, UK.
As a somewhat specialised cargo, cement does not get a lot of attention in the dry bulk market. However, beyond the big three – coal, iron ore and grain – cement and clinker account for around 11 per cent of the remaining bulk trades moved by sea today (see Figures 1 and 2).
