A 10-year-old VLCC operated by Oman Shipping has secured term work from Norwegian oil major Equinor at a strong rate.
TradeWinds is told the 316,000-dwt scrubber-fitted Daba (built 2012) was booked off-market in the mid-$30,000s-per-day range for three years.
One broker reported the tanker fixed for two years at $34,000, with a year’s option.
The optional period may be a higher rate, a source said.
“A lot of people weren’t interested at that rate, but all of a sudden someone was,” a broker told TradeWinds.
Charterers have been keen to secure some vessels on term deals as rates rise.
One broker told TradeWinds: “It’s day to day. Today no, tomorrow yes. Things are changing constantly.”
Equinor is also said to have fixed China VLCC’s 297,000-dwt New Aspire (built 2011) for three months at $55,000 per day.
French shipbroker Barry Rogliano Salles quotes $40,000 per day for a non-eco VLCC fixed for a year, but does not have a figure for older ships over three years.
The Paris shop puts three-year deals for eco tankers at $37,000 per day, rising to $42,000 with a scrubber.
Earlier in September, brokers reported Algerian owner Sonatrach’s veteran 315,800-dwt VLCC Mesdar (built 2007) booked at just $19,500 per day for six months, with another half-year option, by Swiss charterer Mercuria.
Allied Shipping was quoting average three-year deals at $26,250 at that point.
Aframax and MR ships fixed
Other owners continue to fix vessels on term deals in smaller vessel classes too.
The 114,000-dwt aframax Sea Urchin (built 2021) was booked by Mercuria for two years at $35,000 per day.
The vessel is owned by Greece’s Pantheon Tankers Management.
Modern ships are quoted at $29,500 per day for three-year contracts.
Activity was brisk for MR2 tankers too.
The 50,000-dwt Kriti Emerald (built 2005), owned by Avin International, was fixed by Trafigura at $30,000 per day for six months, while Cargill paid $33,500 for Pacific Carriers’ more modern 52,000-dwt Sandpiper Pacific (built 2013) for the same period.
Shoei Kisen’s 50,000-dwt Nord Mirai (built 2021) secured a three-year charter at $23,500 per day from UK owner Union Maritime, and Formosa Plastics fixed out its 50,000-dwt FPMC 32 (built 2019) for three months at $23,500 per day to Saudi shipowning giant Bahri.
Modern MR2s are assessed at $23,000 per day for three-year fixes by BRS.
