European stock markets were attempting to rally on Friday after historic falls the day before, leaving a mixed picture for shipowners.
US and UK stock markets endured their biggest drops since the 1987 crash on Thursday as coronavirus panic took a firmer grip on investors.
It was the UK's second worst trading day in history, with a plunge of 11% wiping £160bn ($202bn) off values.
But the FSTE 100 index of leading companies was up nearly 3% on Friday morning. It had opened more than 6% higher as the UK government set out limited measures to tackle the outbreak.
In hugely volatile conditions globally, Danish product tanker owner Nordic Shipholding was trading up nearly 68% on Friday morning in Copenhagen, after dropping 13% on Thursday.
Tanker rival Torm was up nearly 2%, while compatriot boxship giant Maersk added more than 4%.
Tanker stocks have generally been more resistant to big falls in value, with rates positive in all sectors, and soaring in the VLCC market.
Belgian suezmax and VLCC player Euronav was up nearly 1% in Brussels, while John Fredriksen's Frontline was slightly ahead at 0.29% in Oslo.
Offshore rebound
Also in Norway, LNG carrier owner Awilco LNG rose 10.8%, but Hoegh LNG was slightly down.
The hard-hit Norwegian offshore support vessel (OSV) sector also regained some lost ground.
Reach Subsea rose 7%, Havila Shipping was up 12.5%, SeaBird Exploration 7% and Solstad 4.5%, but Dof was off 0.6%.
And Norwegian bulker owner Belships, which bucked the trend at one point on Thursday by rising 1%, was up by another 6%.
In London, shipbroker Braemar was down 2% and rival Clarksons by less than 1%.
Greek ferry operator Anek Lines was trading down 19% in Athens, while Oslo-listed Philly Shipyard was down 9%.
The US market had seen shipping shares fall sharply on Thursday, with Top Ships closing more than 32% down.
