Weekly Tanker Report – Week 43, 2021

VLCC

Further rate gains have been seen as Chinese charterers amongst others were a little more active in the Middle East and Atlantic regions.

For the 280,000-mt Middle East Gulf to US Gulf (Cape/Cape routing) market rates are assessed a point firmer at WS22.5 level, while the rate for 270,000-mt Middle East Gulf to China rose 2.5 points to WS46 (a roundtrip TCE of $5,200/day).

In the Atlantic, rates for 260,000-mt West Africa to China rose two points again this week to just over WS48 (a TCE of $8,800/day roundtrip) and 270,000-mt US Gulf to China is up $75,000 from a week ago at $5.5625m (a TCE of $9,600/day roundtrip).

Suezmax

In West Africa the market eased slightly with rates for 130,000-mt Nigeria/UK Continent losing about 3.5 points to WS75 (showing a roundtrip TCE of about $7,400/day).

The rate for 135,000-mt Black Sea/Med remained relatively flat at the WS85 mark (a TCE roundtrip of about $6,300 per day).

The Middle East/Mediterranean market quietened down this week with only one fixture of a Greek owner fixing a Greek charterer for a Basrah/Greece trip reported at WS50.

The rate for 140,000-mt Basrah/Lavera is now assessed at WS48, slipping a point from a week ago.

Aframax

In the Mediterranean, the market has firmed considerably and the rate for 80,000-mt Ceyhan/Lavera has pushed up 22.5 points to almost WS135 ($18,600/day TCE roundtrip).

In Northern Europe the market for 80,000-mt Cross-North Sea has improved by 8 points to about WS117 (a TCE of about $5,900/day) and 100,000-mt Baltic/UK Continent gained 6.5 points to WS88.5/89 level (a TCE of about $8,600/day roundtrip).

Across the Atlantic, the market is still gradually easing with the rate for 70,000-mt US Gulf/UK Continent slipping another 3.5 points to WS124 (a TCE of $10,300/day roundtrip).

The 70,000-mt Caribbean/US Gulf rate is down four points to WS145 (a TCE of $15,200/day roundtrip) and 70,000-mt East Coast Mexico/US Gulf is 3.5 points lower than a week ago at WS149  ($18,400/day TCE roundtrip).

Clean

The Middle East Gulf has seen upturn all around this week, with activity and rates gradually climbing as the week has progressed. On the LR2s the TC1 rose 2.86 points to WS 95.36, a round-trip TCE of $3,616/day.

The LR1s have followed a similar pattern and TC5 55k Middle East Gulf / Japan is up 3.71 points to WS128 a round-trip TCE of $8,602/day. The MRs have seen the biggest jump. The 35k Middle East Gulf / East Africa (TC17) is now WS195.42 (+WS 8.34).

Mediterranean Handy market

The Mediterranean Handy market saw activity continue to put ships on subs, but rates are still under pressure.TC6 30kt Skikda / Lavera is now at WS 146.13 (- WS 13.87). The LR2s, TC15 80k Mediterranean / Japan were tested upward and are now marked at around $1.85 million.

Baltic Handy market

The Baltic Handy market saw a bit of momentum early in the week and the increased enquiry drove freight upwards into the WS160s, which then resettled. The TC9 30k Baltic / UK-Continent is now WS 152.86 (+ WS 26.07)

UK-Continent MRs

On the UK-Continent MRs, solid inquiries were introduced from the beginning of the week pushing Transatlantic levels up. The TC2 37k UK-Continent / US Atlantic Coast climbed WS5.56 to WS125 with sentiment for higher freight to come at time of writing. The TC19 37k Amsterdam to Lagos has also shown a consistently firming trend and is currently pegged at WS125.

On the LR1’s, TC16 60k Amsterdam / Offshore Lomé have held steady and continue along at the WS100 mark for the moment.

Americas

In the Americas, renewed volume of fixing has yielded momentum in freight levels. TC14 38k US Gulf / UK-Continent jumped to WS 100.71 (+WS 22.85) and TC18 38k from US Gulf / Brazil rose WS 23.21 to WS 143.21

The MR Atlantic basket TCE rose from $2,892/day to $6,865/day.