Fearnleys Weekly Report: VLCC Activity Remains Robust in Week 33 of 2026
Key Takeaways
- •Fearnleys A.S. reported substantial VLCC chartering activity in Week 33 of 2026, with a long list of vessels fixed or on subjects indicating steady demand.
- •VLCCs typically have a deadweight capacity of around 300,000 tonnes and can transport approximately two million barrels of crude oil per voyage.
- •Specific fixture details such as charterer identities, vessel names, and agreed rates have become increasingly scarce in current market reporting.
- •The reduction in fixture transparency affects market participants who rely on broker reports for rate discovery and real-time assessment of tanker market conditions.
- •Fearnleys is a longstanding Oslo-based shipbroking and maritime advisory firm covering crude oil tankers, dry bulk carriers, and container shipping segments.
Fearnleys Weekly Report: VLCC Activity Remains Robust in Week 33 of 2026
Weekly Shipbrokers Reports — 13 August 2026
According to Fearnleys A.S.'s weekly shipping market report for Week 33 of 2026, the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) segment continues to see substantial chartering activity. The Norwegian shipbroking firm noted a long list of vessels reported as either fixed or on subjects, indicating steady demand in the crude oil tanker market. VLCCs, the largest class of crude oil tankers, typically have a deadweight capacity of around 300,000 tonnes and can transport approximately two million barrels of crude oil per voyage, making them a critical link in global energy supply chains and a key barometer for seaborne crude trade flows, particularly on routes connecting the Middle East Gulf to Asia and the Atlantic Basin to Europe and Asia.
However, Fearnleys observed that specific details regarding individual fixtures — such as charterer identities, vessel names, and agreed rates — have become increasingly scarce in current market reporting. This reduction in fixture transparency has implications for market participants who rely on broker reports for rate discovery and real-time assessment of tanker market conditions.
Source: Fearnleys A.S.
Fearnleys, formally known as Fearnleys A.S., is a longstanding Oslo-based shipbroking and maritime advisory firm that provides regular market reports covering segments including crude oil tankers, dry bulk carriers, and container shipping.
