$1.$ Do you expect daily spot hire rates to increase or decrease next year? What factors drive

average daily hire rates?

$2.$ How would you characterize the long$-$term prospects of the capesize dry bulk industry?

$3.$ Should Ms$.$ Linn purchase the $$39$M capesize? Make $2$ different assumptions. First, assume

that Ocean Carriers is a U$.$S$.$ firm subject to $35\%$ taxation. Second, assume that Ocean Carriers is

located in Hong Kong, where owners of Hong Kong ships are not required to pay any tax on

profits made overseas and are also exempted from paying any tax on profit made on cargo

uplifted from Hong Kong.

$4.$ What do you think of the company$$s policy of not operating ships over $15$ years old?