A supertanker has been provisionally booked to transport oil from the Persian Gulf to India at a rate equivalent to almost nine times benchmark freight costs, an eye-watering price that reflects the shortage of available, empty vessels in the area.
The very-large crude carrier, capable of handling about two million barrels of oil, will be supplied by South Korea shipowner Sinokor at 897 Worldscale points, or 897% of the benchmark, according to shipbrokers. That fee ranks as the highest so far this year, they added, asking not to be named as discussions are not public.
