Crude tanker rates are dropping, but remain at a “healthy” level, analysts say.

Spot charter rates have seen big drops from the two-year highs reached in late November and December — with suezmax rates falling by more than half — thanks to Opec production cuts and Saudi Arabia looking to further cut exports.

The Baltic Exchange's assessment of time-charter equivalent rates for VLCCs, for example, reached its lowest level since 24 October.