The volatility of global spot freight rates since the start of 2015 has continued to increase in comparison to 2014, according to rate assessments on 11 routes gathered by the World Container Index (WCI). Price turbulence on the globally important Asia-to-Europe routes has been particularly high in 2015 with monthly volatility increasing 43 percent on average in comparison to 2014.

The dry bulk shipping market is not expected to return to profitability until 2017, despite a modest recovery in earnings anticipated over the next two years, according to the latest edition of the Dry Bulk Forecaster, published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.

Despite positive growth momentum, the container shipping industry continues to suffer new, big ship deliveries with no let-up to the ordering frenzy according to the Container Forecaster, published by Drewry Maritime Research. Drewry forecasts another year of excess growth in relation to demand in 2015. This will make it harder for carriers to repeat the estimated 92 percent load factors across the main headhaul East-West trade lanes achieved in 2014.

Ocean freight rates for cargoes moving under contracts on major East-West routes have increased for the first time in years, according to Drewry's Benchmarking Club, a closed user group of multinational retailers and manufacturers seeking to more closely monitor their international freight costs.

Global dry cargo demand growth, forecast at 5 percent per annum from 2016 to 2019, should be offset by falling project cargo volumes over the next 12 to 18 months, according to the latest edition of the Multipurpose Shipping Market Review and Forecaster, published by Drewry Maritime Research.

Container shipping rates on intra-Asia trades have fallen to their lowest level in four years, according to the Container Freight Rate Insight which is updated weekly and published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.