Production cuts by Opec and its Russian-led allies — a combined group of oil producers known as Opec+ — could slow the recovery in crude tanker markets but might not derail it.

While some experts warn that the supply cuts, ­coupled with a heavy newbuilding delivery schedule, will probably create strong headwinds for tanker earnings in the coming months, many suggest rising US exports, healthy oil demand growth and the IMO 2020 rules will support market strength from the second half of 2019.