Tankers Switch from Clean to Dirty as Rates Surge

A recent surge in tanker rates due to U.S. sanctions on subsidiaries of Chinese shipping company Cosco is driving some shipowners to switch from carrying clean to dirty cargoes, according to oil analytics firm Vortexa.

The Aframax tanker Elandra Sound, which was carrying clean products in Q3, recently loaded crude in Corpus Christi in the United States, Vortexa said in a note.

Another three Aframax tankers, Falcon Express, FPMC P Ideal and SKS Doda, could potentially be switching to load dirty cargoes this month based on their shipping fixtures, the company said.

Four other Aframax tankers, Dong-A Thetis, FPMC P Hero, Pink Stars and STI Lauren, switched to carrying dirty cargoes last month, they added.

Reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar