A surplus of tankships seeking Persian Gulf cargoes curbs earlier charter rate increases.
There are 20 percent more very large crude carriers for hire over the next 30 days than there are cargoes, according to the median estimate of seven shipbrokers and owners (TANKER) surveyed by Bloomberg News. A week ago, the excess was 16.5 percent.
The cost of chartering the ships fell to 36.58 Worldscale points yesterday, snapping six days of gains, according to data from the Baltic Exchange in London. The ships are losing $4,648 daily, according to the bourse, whose calculations don’t take account of speed alterations that can boost the vessels’ earnings by lowering their fuel consumption.
Source: Bloomberg