Brokers are well known for their colourful language, but how best to describe the shocker of a month that has ensued in the sale and purchase world this May? Kudos to one Asia-based broker for this description of the dire times: “It's felt a bit like trying to climb a flaccid rope.”

It's not been easy to make fire as the sticks being rubbed together are drenched

Take a look at the chart from VesselsValue below - it neatly sums up the situation; the quietest May for concluded ship sale...