Tanker Trading News

Norwegian chemical tanker owner Stolt-Nielsen on Thursday reported a second-quarter net profit attributable to shareholders of $58.6 million, with revenue of $689.1 million. This is an increased compared with a net profit of $52.3 million, with revenue of $606.2 million, in the first quarter.Niels G. Stolt-Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Stolt-Nielsen Limited, said the second quarter net profit was the company’s highest since 2007."The second quarter continued where the first quarter ended with growing demand and a shrinking orderbook for new ships…

Odfjell SE has appointed Harald Fotland as chief operations officer (COO), effective January 5, 2018. The Norwegian tanker shipping firm said it is introducing a COO function to ensure full integration between ship management and commercial operations. “With the new structure, Odfjell Tankers will have common and aligned goals across all functions relating to chemical tankers,” the company said. Fotland joined Odfjell as chief of staff in 2010, and in 2015 was appointed senior vice president of Odfjell Tankers.

Earlier this week spot returns in the VLCC market touched their lowest level since October 2014, with TCE earnings for Middle East/Japan (TD3) falling close to $20,000/day, says Gibson Weekly Tanker Market Report. The current weakness has been essentially driven by the build-up of available tonnage, leaving charterers with healthy numbers to choose from. However, is this a temporary blip or are there more fundamental forces at play? Perhaps, the best way to understand the current situation would be to examine the main drivers of the VLCC market both last year and so far in 2016 to see what has changed. Back in 2015, the spectacular strength in all crude tanker markets (not just VLCCs) was underpinned by very limited growth in supply coupled with major gains in demand.

Odfjell announced it has appointed Senior Vice President Harald Fotland to new Head of Odfjell Tankers. Fotland comes from the position as SVP/Chief of Staff and has for the past 18 months also been responsible for the cost-cutting and efficiency program in Odfjell. He succeeeds the shipper's previous head of tankers, Morten Nystad, who stepped down from his position in July.  The company also appointed Vice President Arild Viste to Global Head of Tanker Trading in Odfjell Tankers. Viste comes from the position as Vice President for Commercial Development.

Teekay Tankers orders 4 LR2 product tankships from STX Offshore & Shipbuilding with options for 12 more. The agreement is for STX of South Korea to construct four  fuel-efficient 113,000 dwt Long Range 2 (LR2) product tanker newbuildings for a fully built-up cost of approximately $47-million each. The agreement also includes fixed-price options for up to 12 additional LR2 newbuildings that can be declared over the next 18 months. Upon delivery, it is expected that the vessels will operate in Teekay Corporation's Taurus Tankers LR2 Pool…

SEACOR Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CKH) announced its results for the fourth quarter of 2009. Net income attributable to SEACOR Holdings Inc. for the quarter ended December 31, 2009 was $22.2 million, or $1.04 per diluted share, on operating revenues of $476.5 million. During the fourth quarter, the Company called and settled all of its outstanding 2.875% Convertible Senior Debentures due 2024 resulting in a debt extinguishment loss of $6.1 million, net of tax, or $0.26 per diluted share. For the preceding quarter ended September 30, 2009, net income attributable to SEACOR Holdings Inc. was $26.3 million, or $1.23 per diluted share, on operating revenues of $446.1 million. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2009, net income attributable to SEACOR Holdings Inc.

Stolt-Nielsen Transportation Group Ltd. (SNTG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stolt-Nielsen S.A. announced a co-service agreement for operational matters for the carriage of bulk liquids from ports in the U.S. Gulf to ports in Asia. maintaining the commercial independence of SNTG and JOT. can be achieved by working together to allocate cargoes to particular ships. Both companies will continue to market their ships and services independent of each other, and the contractual relationship between individual carriers and their respective customers will remain private and confidential. The Combined Service Agreement is due to commence on February 1, 2002.

With a weakening dollar, predictions oil could hit $100 a barrel, and a boom in multi-billion dollar refinery construction, finance and shipping leaders will be meeting in Dubai this November to assess the impact on the regional and global maritime industries. The Middle East shipping industry is dominated by the tanker trade. Bookings for supertankers sailing from the Middle East to Asia account for 47% of global demand for the carriers, compared with shipments to the US and Caribbean, the second-biggest market, which accounts for 14% of demand. The balance of supply and demand, in the tanker sector in the Middle East, will be part of a special Charterers Forum that will take place during the Middle East Money & Ships 2007 conference, from 4-5 November, at Mina a'Salam, Madinat Jumeirah.

Stolt-Nielsen announced that Hans Feringa has been appointed President of Stolt Tankers & Terminals as of December 1, 2007. Hans Feringa will succeed Otto Fritzner, who will be retiring, as planned, from the Company at the end of the year. Hans Feringa has been Managing Director of Tanker Trading at Stolt Parcel Tankers Division since 2003. Prior to this he was Managing Director of Stolthaven Terminals Division (2000 to 2003) and Asia Pacific Regional Director, Stolthaven Terminals Division (1996 to 2000). Before joining Stolt-Nielsen S.A. in 1996, he was Commercial Director of Van Ommeren's Tank Terminal at Botlek, Rotterdam. He gained an MBA in 1987 from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University prior to joining Van Ommeren.

Stolt-Nielsen S.A. said that Hans Feringa has been appointed President of Stolt Tankers & Terminals as pf December 1, 2007. Hans Feringa will succeed Otto Fritzner, who will be retiring, as planned, from the Company at the end of the year. Feringa has been Managing Director of Tanker Trading at Stolt Parcel Tankers Division since 2003. Prior to this he was Managing Director of Stolthaven Terminals Division (2000 to 2003) and Asia Pacific Regional Director, Stolthaven Terminals Division (1996 to 2000). Before joining Stolt-Nielsen S.A. in 1996, he was Commercial Director of Van Ommeren's Tank Terminal at Botlek, Rotterdam. He gained an MBA in 1987 from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University prior to joining Van Ommeren.

reason that maritime - as usual - will be slow to catch the wave. A frantic dash to set up tanker trading and information websites is being touted as the end of the traditional shipping marketplace, but insiders say there will be no overnight revolution. Two oil majors last week joined forces with the biggest shipbroker and leading agribusiness trading house to set up an online shipping exchange which aimed to transform the $100 billion market in moving bulk commodities by sea. Other shipbrokers are now rushing to update their websites and a rash of dot.com shipping information ventures are also in the pipeline. But many in the industry say it is unlikely the web revolution will undermine the secretive tanker broking trade.

Increased secrecy in the tanker chartering market may be pushing rates lower, even though many brokers and owners like the idea of doing private business. Although it has always been a secretive business where only a portion of trading was made public, shipping sources say more and more tanker chartering is being done directly through a single broker rather than being put out to tender. However, ship owners and some brokers say charterers are able to dictate rates because they have more information about cargo and ship availability and can influence the perception of supply and demand. Despite this, most tanker brokers generally prefer private business even if it means they cannot compete for some cargoes.

Average July 2001 tanker spot freight rates slightly up from June The average spot freight rates (time charter equivalent rate) for VLCCs (trading AG-Japan) went up to USD 21,624 per day for a modern vessel; this is up 12.7% from the average of June 2001. The corresponding rate for a modern Suezmax trading West Africa to US went up to USD 30,125 per day or up 28.7%. For a modern Aframax tanker trading North Sea to UK/Cont. the average rate for July 2001 was USD 29,511, up 67.5% from the low level obtained in June. The average monthly rates for these three trades had been steadily declining from March to June 2001. - (Source: INTERTANKO)

Increased secrecy in the tanker chartering market may be pushing rates lower, even though many brokers and owners like the idea of doing private business. Always a secretive business where only a proportion of trading was made public, more tanker chartering is being done directly through a single broker rather than put out to tender, according to shipping sources. But ship owners and some brokers say charterers are able to dictate rates because they have more information about cargo and ship availability and can influence the perception of supply and demand. Despite this, most tanker brokers generally prefer private business even if it means they cannot compete for some cargoes.