Owners of scrubber-fitted boxships have been cashing in during their first week of operating under IMO 2020 rules.

A wider-than-expected spread between the price of 0.5% sulphur-compliant fuel and high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) has been reflected in the containership charter market.

It has resulted in a two-tier charter market, with scrubber-fitted ships being fixed at higher rates.

Non-scrubber-fitted vessels, such as the 5,085-teu Miami (built 2008), have been reported as being taken for up to three months at about $13,900 per day.