Charter rates for VLGCs have kicked off the year on a high with a vessel being fixed at a very strong level.

Brokers said Zodiac Maritime’s 84,000-cbm LPG carrier newbuilding Durham has been fixed for 12 months at $1.6m per month, equating to a daily rate of $52,500. The charterer has yet to be identified.

The rate is significantly higher than that done on VLGCs being fixed for similar business in November and December, when deals were concluded at levels in the low to mid-$30,000 per day range.