Infospectrum Insights

Newbuilding orders for liquefied natural gas carriers are hitting fever pitch again. At last count, there are now more than 100 LNG carriers on order, a trend fuelled by rosy forecasts for LNG demand growth and the recovery in charter rates.

For decades, Infospectrum’s clients have used the Post Dated Cheque (PDC) as a means of payment security. Even in these increasingly cashless/paperless times, payment by cheque remains an important part of the risk management of liquidity-strained clients in certain countries. Perhaps the most effective use of PDCs has been in the United Arab Emirates. Here we look at how this came to be, and whether it remains a useful tool.

While bunker price forecasts in the current politico-economic environment are akin to staring at tea leaves, the next 12 months are expected to see further increases in prices for HSFO (already up 35-40% in the last 12 months), LSFO and distillates. On top of that, all participants in the bunker markets (to a greater or lesser degree) have been impacted by higher finance costs as LIBOR rates increase, with small to medium-sized bunker players struggling to secure finance at suitably attractive terms.

We are delighted to announce our collaboration with the Baltic Exchange as their exclusive counterparty intelligence provider. Here is what the Baltic Exchange had to say:

Back in 2014, no one could have anticipated the worst crisis the offshore industry has ever seen. Investments by oil majors and international and national oil companies were revised and cut globally. But is the worst over for offshore?

Following the success of Infospectrum’s Counterparty Credit Risk Forum in Singapore earlier this year, our London Forum provided attendees with unique insights into the shipping industry and the latest developments shaping it.

Managing the counterparty vetting, onboarding, and risk assessment process presents a challenge for many businesses. Read on to discover how Infospectrum is innovating new solutions within this space.

The adoption of the IBC (Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code) by the Indian government in 2016 was one of the state’s most ambitious moves to ease doing business with Indian companies. However, two years after the adoption of the code, and despite amendments to the core NCLT’s Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process, the results are not as fruitful as expected.

Trust is the intangible glue that binds companies and their customers. It’s the unwritten contract that ensures consumers keep engaging with their suppliers. Without trust, businesses cannot hope to survive.

This article is the second installment in a two-part series. The first explores sanctions and tariffs and how the global politico-economic climate impacts counterparty risk assessment. Read the first installment here.