International Seaways pulled in a rollicking $94,000 per day for its fleet of modern VLCCs in the first nine days of the year — a 65% improvement over the strong rates logged in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Seaways released the first-quarter bookings for the first time Wednesday at its investor day in Manhattan as its management talked up a three-year rebuilding job that has placed the New York owner in prime position to benefit from the IMO 2020-fueled tanker market.