Seasonality patterns in LNG shipping spot and time charter freight rates

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the existence and the nature of seasonality in LNG freight rates of different duration contract, over different market conditions (peak and troughs) for the period from December 2010 to June 2023. We employ the HEGY method and seasonal dummy variables to test for stochastic and deterministic seasonality, respectively. Then we use Markov Switching models to test for asymmetries in seasonal fluctuations across different market conditions. We reject the existence of stochastic seasonality for all freight series while results on deterministic seasonality indicate increases in rates in June, October, and November. We also found that seasonal patterns vary across market conditions, revealing that seasonal rate movements are more pronounced when the market is in downturn. Moreover, we found that the seasonal movements present similar patterns across different trading routes. The results have implications for stakeholders across the LNG value chain.