Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide

The VLCC market is enjoying a strong upswing, with spot earnings consistently exceeding $100,000pd as rising OPEC supply has boosted vessel demand in the Arabian Gulf. With OPEC+ targets indicating an oversupplied oil market through 1Q26, the corresponding firm stocking requirements are expected to support elevated VLCC earnings in the near term. Meanwhile, skyrocketing freight …

Most coal exporting countries have seen lower exports so far in the year, with Indonesia being no exception. The main “culprit” is China’s diminished appetite for seaborne coal imports. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Banchero Costa said that “in Jan-Oct 2025, global seaborne coal loadings declined by -3.6% y-o-y to 1,089.5 mln t (excluding …

This week’s analysis focuses on VLCC performance and the evolving Russian crude flows. Building on our October and November Special Editions, we have already outlined the main drivers behind the recent market surge. In the November edition, we emphasised how structural inefficiencies are increasingly shaping market behaviour, reflected in elevated tonne-days despite relatively softer tonne-mile …

The Houthis’ recent announcement to halt attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea is a positive development for Suez Canal traffic. However, given their history of frequently shifting positions, the industry remains cautious about any near-term normalisation of flows through the Canal. Nonetheless, any reduction in the security risk premium and the corresponding restoration of …

Geopolitics aren’t exclusive to the tanker market, as it seems that they could also have an impact on the dry bulk segment as well. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Xclusiv said that “China’s rush to lock in Africa’s battery metals is not just an EV or geopolitics story – it will possibly quietly reshape …

“We forecast balanced supply and demand growth for the crude tanker market in 2026 but a weakening in 2027 as ship deliveries increase. Unfortunately, the product tanker market is expected to continue to weaken during both years as ship deliveries hit 15-year highs and supply therefore outpaces demand,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at …

The Xeneta Ocean Outlook 2026 – published in October – highlighted overcapacity in container shipping as a key theme for the year ahead – and we are now seeing the different ways carriers will tackle this problem across the world’s major trades. With a forecast for container demand growth of 3% against fleet growth of …

Ship recycling market activity has remained limited throughout the past week. In its latest weekly report, Best Oasis (www.best-oasis.com), a leading cash buyer of ships said that “the market in India has firmed this week, with local steel sentiment showing a modest improvement. India–U.S. trade discussions are progressing, helping ease currency-related concerns. Expectations for a …

Global trade routes are increasingly vulnerable as the world’s narrow shipping passages, known as maritime chokepoints, face mounting threats from both human-induced hazards such as conflict, piracy, and terrorism, and natural hazards driven by extreme weather. A new study estimates that disruptions at these critical points affect around $192 billion worth of maritime trade each …

The shipping industry has always been good at navigating uncertainty; however the rapid expansion of the shadow fleet represents a different kind of risk. It’s not just regulatory or geopolitical; it’s informational. Each vessel that goes dark removes a small piece of the world’s safety awareness, and that loss is beginning to matter, writes Yarden …