Scrubber-fitted VLCCs are making more than $100,000 per day, with busy charter activity and a widening price spread between high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) and IMO 2020-compliant fuel.

While sentiment among shipowners is generally firm due to healthy longhaul shipping demand, the advantage of HSFO-powered VLCCs is becoming more pronounced as the focus of the spot trade shifts to January-loading cargoes.