The voyage surcharge, which once cost owners of aframaxes making regular calls at US ports up to $500,000 per year, is to remain at zero for the 12 months from the 20 February renewal.

The 2017 year will be the fourth in succession where a US trading surcharge has not been levied. So, it seems likely this overhead has gone for good, barring another Exxon Valdez spill or a significant deterioration in the tanker pollution record.

Costly