The Danish owner achieved rates of $15,682 per day forits MRs in 2013, as the net deficit was cut to $162m, against $581m in 2012.

But Meldgaard told TradeWinds that levels would need to riseanother $4,000 per day to reach break-even, if other factors remained the same.

He put the improvement in the 2013 down to three equally importantconsiderations: the disappearance of restructuring costs from the balance sheetas opposed to 2012; operating efficiency; and an improvement in tanker rates.

There