The tanker market’s demise so far this year, is reflected in the S&P market as well. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Intermodal said that “unlike the Dry Bulk and Container sectors where freight rates have surged into 2021, the tankers market continues to experience lackluster earnings hovering at the bottom of the cycle according to analysts’ consensus, as the oil and products inventories destocking cycle is coming to an end”.

According to Intermodal’s George Kallianiotis (Valuation Department), “tankers Sale & Purchase transactions in number of vessels have underperformed those in dry and containers, however asset values have appreciated regardless, as expectations for a recovery tracking oil demand growth and elevated steel prices have disconnected asset values from the freight market. We expect the trend to continue in the coming months, with further asset value appreciation particularly if a market recovery takes place before the end of the year. Last but not least, over the past two months, we observe tanker deals to be concentrated on the products tonnage, with MRs attracting increased interest”.

“Below we present a brief overview of the S&P transactions that took place since Q2 2021 up to late July 2021. During April 2021, more than 50 deals took place in the Tanker sector. Aframax tankers contributed close to 36% of the total deals whilst around half of them were in the 5-year-old mark up to resale. MR Tankers (including Handysize vessels) were responsible for an around 23% of the entire deal landscape whilst VLCCs hold a slightly bigger proportion; most of them in both segments were older than 10-year-old. Finally, Panamax and Suezmax vessels were the less preferable holding less than 15% of the recorded deals”, Intermodal said.

The shipbroker added that “during May 2021, transactions decreased by at least 50% compared to April 2021. The deals were equally distributed across all segments with circa 5 vessels corresponding to each one. It should be noted that most of the vessels that changed hands were older than 10 years. In June 2021, we witnessed a further reduction in the number of transactions by an additional 50% comparing to May 2021 with slightly more than 10 deals taking place; half of the vessels that changed hands were MR tankers. During July 2021, contrary to the past couple of months, transactions increased close to the number that was recorded the fifth month of the year. The deals were congregated in the MR, Aframax and VLCC segment with a rather equal number of vessels to each one whilst Panamax and Suezmax vessels were again the less preferable”, Kallianiotis concluded.
Nikos Roussanoglou, Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide