Summer Doldrums

6 Jun 2016:  Are tankers facing a typical seasonal summer lull? It is well known that tanker rates, both for crude oil and product tankers, are volatile, cyclical and seasonal. In some years, the extreme volatility of rates as well as the rollercoaster ride of the tanker cycles overwhelms the seasonal factors in the market and it appears that they are no longer there. Over the years, the composition of the oil markets has also changed, with an increased focus on transportation fuels as well as a significant swing of oil demand from the western towards the eastern hemisphere. Download Here