Owners of ageing chemical tankers may opt for more lucrative sanctioned trades in the face of higher costs from carbon levies, shipbroker SSY says.

The International Maritime Organization has inched closer to agreeing on a mandatory global tariff on CO2 emissions.

While it is still far from final, some countries, led by Belize, have proposed a minimum emissions charge of $150 per tonne of CO2-equivalent from 2027.