Platts: VLCC bookings by China charterers from Caribbean up 250% since 2006

“VLCC fixtures done by Chinese charterers out of the Caribbean to South East Asia have increased by over 250% in the last five years and are helping drive up the tonne-mile demand for tankers, shipbrokers Poten & Partners said in a report published late last week. ‘While future volumes … are likely to depend on arbitrage opportunities resulting from relative fuel oil pricing, trends seen over the past five years underscore the potential for increased Chinese market presence to direct the evolution of global trade patterns,’ the Poten report said.”