Earnings for oil tankers in the Middle East declined to the lowest level so far this year as the prospect of deeper OPEC+ production curbs darkened the outlook for the sector.
Freight earnings on the benchmark Middle East-to-China route declined by 21% on Friday to just $8,055 a day, according to data from the Baltic Exchange. That’s down by almost 90% since mid-June.
Saudi Arabia’s crude exports fell sharply in August as the kingdom leads an effort by the OPEC+ alliance to curb production and bolster oil prices. Observed flows from the kingdom slumped to about 5.6 million barrels a day, the lowest since March 2021, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
More pain could be on the way for oil tankers. Russia has agreed with its OPEC+ partners on further cuts to its crude exports, according to Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.
By Paul Burkhardt May 23, 2026 (Bloomberg) –US forces have redirected 100 commercial vessels during its six-week-long blockade of Iran’s ports, Central Command said. The mission, supported by more than 200...
There is a particular kind of institutional irony that only the International Maritime Organization can produce with quite such reliable consistency. By Paul Morgan (gCaptain) – In London at the...
Frontline plc, one of the world’s largest publicly traded operators of crude oil tankers, reported its strongest adjusted quarterly earnings in more than 20 years on Friday, as the disruption of...
May 22, 2026
Total Views: 679
Get The Industry’s Go-To News
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
— just like 105,731 professionals
Secure Your Spot
on the gCaptain Crew
Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news, delivered daily straight to your inbox
— trusted by our 105,731 members
Your Gateway to the Maritime World!
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.