News Brief:

Shipbuilding News:

* Sonatrach orders LPG carrier

* SHGSIC to complete unfinished VLOC

* KS delays COSCO jackup rig again

* China records 108% up in NB orders

* Chinese yards in trouble

* "Shipbuilding industry to normalize in 2018"

Shipping News:

* Cargo rush, bunker prices push Australia-China Capesize rate over $4/wmt

* BIMCO: Container Shipping Fleet Nears 20 Mn TEU Mark

Steel News:

* China iron ore, steel edge up but sector prospects murky

Energy News:

* Crude prices extend gains amid shrinking output

Biz China:

* Consumption contributes 84.7% of China's Q1 growth

* Baltic Dry Index

BDI      643        (+30)

BCI      988      (+134)

BPI      604         (+6)

BSI      552          (0)

BHSI    345        ( -2)

* TC Avg ($/day)

BCI  5T/C     7,791      (+1,051)

BPI  4T/C     4,826          (+43)

BSI  6T/C     5,774           (+6)

* Exchange Rate

USD / KRW   1,173.3

USD / RMB    6.5216

* Crude Future ($/barrel)

WTI       48.53

Brent     49.36

* Buker  (Singapore, $/ton)

 IF380      IFO180     MDO     MGO

229.00      240.00     410.00   420.00