SSY Consultancy & Research has released its Atlantic Capesize Index report dated 7 August 2026, providing a weekly assessment of freight market conditions for Capesize bulk carriers operating in the Atlantic basin.

The report was published on 10 August 2026 as part of Hellenic Shipping News' Weekly Shipbrokers Reports series.

Source: SSY Consultancy & Research

Simpson Spence Young (SSY) is one of the world's largest independent shipbroking houses, founded in 1880 and headquartered in London. The firm's Consultancy & Research division produces regular market indices and analytical reports covering dry bulk and tanker shipping segments.

Capesize vessels are the largest class of dry bulk carriers, typically ranging from approximately 150,000 to 400,000 deadweight tonnes. They are primarily employed in transporting iron ore and coal on long-haul routes and, due to their size, are unable to transit the Panama Canal, instead routing via the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn—hence the designation "Capesize." The Atlantic Capesize Index specifically tracks rate and market trends for these vessels trading in Atlantic waters.

Atlantic Capesize activity is closely tied to several major commodity trade flows, notably Brazilian iron ore exports—where miners such as Vale dispatch large volumes to European and Asian destinations—and South African coal shipments from Richards Bay. Transatlantic freight demand also reflects European coal import requirements and grain movements out of the Americas. Because Capesize earnings are sensitive to changes in fleet availability and cargo volumes, weekly index reports are widely used by shipowners, charterers, and commodity traders to monitor evolving rate conditions and vessel supply dynamics in the basin. The Atlantic Capesize Index complements broader industry benchmarks such as the Baltic Exchange's Baltic Capesize Index (BCI), which tracks global Capesize freight rates across major routes.