Daily earnings for VLCCs on the Middle East–China benchmark and lump‑sum freight on the US Gulf–Asia route have surged to record levels amid prolonged conflict in the Persian Gulf and increasingly complex oil trade logistics.
Global crude tanker freight rates have surged, signaling mounting stress in the international oil market. According to business media, earnings for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) on the benchmark Middle East–China route have climbed towards record levels of around $800,000 per day, while charterers on the US Gulf–Asia run are reportedly accepting unprecedented lump‑sum payments of about $29.5 million per voyage. These figures are corroborated by energy market coverage noting exceptionally high returns on key crude routes and sharply elevated war‑risk premiums and insurance surcharges for transiting sensitive areas in and around the Persian Gulf and Bab al‑Mandab. The combination of longer voyage distances, rerouting around hotspots, and heightened operational risk is tightening effective vessel supply, further supporting rates.
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