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Baltic index gains as rates company for all vessels

The Baltic Exchange's primary dry bulk sea freight index rose on Wednesday, helped by rising rates across all vessel sectors with capesize striking its highest level in over 3 weeks.

* The total index, which factors in rates for panamax, capesize and supramax shipping vessels, increased by 65 points, or 3.7%, to 1,844 points.

* The capesize index acquired 129 points, or 4.9%, to 2,760, its greatest level given that March 26.

* Typical daily profits for capesize vessels, which generally transports 150,000-ton cargoes such as iron ore and coal, increased by $1,074 to $22,893.

* Iron ore futures fell, with the Dalian agreement falling for the first session in seven, as investors reevaluated stimulus prospects from top consumer China after its first-quarter financial growth topped projections.

* The panamax index was up 51 points, or 2.9%, at 1,805 points, a two-week peak.

* Typical day-to-day earnings for panamax vessels, which typically carries about 60,000-70,000 tons of coal or grain cargo, acquired $459 to $16,244.

* Belief amongst Panamax owners was mixed. In the Atlantic, there was healthy demand for grain tonnage from the East Coast of South America, contrasting with low mineral exports from the North, Intermodal Research Expert Chara Georgousi said in a weekly note on Tuesday.

* Among smaller sized vessels, the supramax index was up by 26 points, or about 2%, to 1,337 points.

* Meanwhile, Iranian authorities said they saved 21 Sri Lankan crewmen from a Cook Islands-flagged tanker sinking in the Gulf of Oman, the state news company IRNA reported on Wednesday.