Mideast Clean Tanker Rates Slip On Kuwait Effect

Middle Eastern clean product tanker rates slipped as cargoes for some ship sizes became scarce as a result of the Kuwaiti refinery outage, brokers said on Friday, but in general markets remained strong, they added.

Vessels were starting to become available in prompt positions, broker E.A. Gibson said in a report, and rates for 35,000 tons to the Far East slipped to W295. Short-haul cargoes were apparently scarce as a knock-on effect from the Kuwait refinery fire last week, Gibson said. Charterers due to load from the region were forced to buy prompt cargoes to secure alternative employment for vessels, it said. But larger vessels fared better with levels maintaining W230 for 75,000 tons.

U.S. holidays held Caribbean levels at about W260 for 30,000 tons and W190 for 40,000 while heavy inquiry for jet fuel to Europe resulted in just a couple of fixtures at about W150 for 40,000 tons.