Supertanker dayrates surge to $125K, highest since pandemic

[Oil Tanker in San Francisco]
bloodua/iStock via Getty Images

Benchmark oil tanker earnings have climbed to the highest level since the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, as global oil supplies rise and sanctions boost demand for untainted vessels, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

Rates for ships that can carry two million barrels of crude from the Middle East to China jumped 40% to $125,000/day, the Baltic Exchange reported - the highest since April 2020, when the pandemic forced traders to hoard oil at sea.

New U.S. sanctions placed on Russia's two biggest oil companies also has helped lift rates in recent days as some refiners seek alternative cargoes, according to the report [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-29/oil-supertanker-earnings-soar-to-125-000-a-day-as-supply-swells].

"Sanctioned barrels are backing up, staying longer on ships. Ton miles have also increased due to higher volumes of Atlantic Basin to Asia, and lastly we have more OPEC barrels starting to come to the market," Frontline (FRO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/FRO]) CEO Lars Barstad told Bloomberg.

Potentially relevant stocks include Frontline (FRO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/FRO]), Teekay (TK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TK]), Teekay Tankers (TNK [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TNK]), CMB.Tech (CMBT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CMBT]), Scorpio Tankers (STNG [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/STNG]), DHT Holdings (DHT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DHT]), Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TEN]), Navios Maritime Holdings (NMM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NMM]), International Seaways (INSW [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/INSW]), Nordic American Tankers (NAT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NAT]), SFL Corp. (SFL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SFL])

MORE ON FRONTLINE, TEEKAY TANKERS AND SCORPIO TANKERS

* Frontline: Premium Valuation Not Deserved, Overvalued And Underperforming [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4819021-frontline-premium-valuation-not-deserved-overvalued-and-underperforming]
* Teekay Tankers: Vessel Sales Confirm NAV Discount [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4831810-teekay-tankers-stock-vessel-sales-confirm-nav-discount]
* Scorpio Tankers: A Major Deleveraging Process And Good Prospects [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4809331-scorpio-tankers-a-major-deleveraging-process-and-good-prospects]