VLCC market to stay supported, International Seaways CEO says
Mar. 3, 2020 7:10 PM ET|About: International Seaways, Inc. (INSW)|By: Carl Surran, SA News Editor
A bullish environment is ahead for the global tanker freight market despite temporary impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, International Seaways (NYSE:INSW) CEO Lois Zabrocky said today.
Although overall demand from Chinese crude buyers has dropped significantly, "cargoes are still moving and the liftings are still happening," Zabrocky said during today's earnings conference call.
The biggest change has been that previously booked VLCCs are seeing changes to their place of disport, particularly shifts in delivery to India or for floating storage off the coast of Singapore, Zabrocky said.
International Seaways and other shipowners have said they are looking to several bullish factors, such as an increase in ton-mile demand as non-OPEC crude interest out of the Atlantic basin ramps up; the Chinese trade deal eliminating tariffs from U.S. crude imports, and a contango crude pricing structure fueling floating storage needs.
Other potentially relevant tickers include FRO, EURN, NAT, NNA, NM, NMM. TNK, TNP, TK, DSSI, ASC, SFL, DHT, GNK, SB, SBLK, STNG