Average rates for anchor-handlers hit their highest level this year during September in the North Sea.
Seabrokers said some companies were able to secure tonnage at rates of less than £15,000 ($18,355) per day, while several others found themselves exposed to a rapidly tightening market and were faced with day rates in excess of £60,000.
The total number of fixtures was not noticeably higher than for other months of the year, but the average fixture rate for September was the highest of 2019 thus far, it added.
Rates this week have fallen back down to between £13,000 and £14,500 as utilisation dropped to 41%, data from broker Westshore shows.
Westshore lists 10 ships open in UK and Norwegian ports.
Platform supply vessels (PSVs) averaged higher rates than at any time since the downturn started back in 2014, Seabrokers said.
"The ‘Allseas effect’ has had a significant impact, with 10 to 15 PSVs removed from the North Sea market at various points during the year to perform pipe-haul support for Allseas at the Nord Stream 2 project in the Baltic Sea," it added.
"Nevertheless, an increase to regional demand levels has enabled owners to achieve more satisfactory returns on the spot market this year," it said.
Seabrokers believes it is inevitable that the market will start to soften as winter approaches.
But North Sea owners will be hoping that the 2019 rates will be here to stay for the longer term, it added.
