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Tanker rates extend rally on sanctions, demand to load Mideast oil

Oil shipping rates extended their rally on expectations of a tightening in worldwide tanker supply from wider U.S. sanctions on Russia's fleet and traders' demand for ships to pack Middle East oil for Asia, market sources said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Shell reserved three Large Crude Providers, efficient in bring as much as 2 million barrels of oil, at the rate of Worldscale 70 to load Middle East crude in early February and Chinese refiner Shenghong Petrochemical scheduled 2 VLCCs for the exact same loading duration at the same rate, a. shipbroker said.

Worldscale is an industry tool to compute freight charges. For contrast, China's Unipec earlier booked 2 VLCCs for late. January loading from the Middle East at WS51-52.25.

Traders are expected to look for more tankers to load crude from. Saudi Arabia in February, which might drive freight rates. higher, the shipbroker said.

The robust need pressed the rate for a VLCC on the Middle. East to China route, called TD3C, greater to WS70.45 on. Wednesday, up WS10.75 from the previous day, according to two. shipbrokers and a trader.

This is comparable to a 15% increase, bringing the cost to. charter a supertanker on that route to $4.1 million, said the. second shipbroker.

Supertanker rates on other paths have seen comparable. boost, he included.

The rate for VLCCs from the Middle East to Singapore rose by. WS10.45 to WS71.80, while the rate for West Africa to China. acquired WS9.23 to WS70.67, he stated.

Shipping crude from the U.S. Gulf to China will now cost. $ 8.715 million per trip, up $1.895 million from Tuesday, he. included.

Rising freight expenses and area premiums for Middle East. crude are squeezing Asian refiners' margins. Complex refining. margins in Singapore, the bellwether for the area, dropped to. $ 1.15 a barrel, from $4.69 on Jan. 9, before the sanctions were. revealed, LSEG information showed. << DUB-SIN-REF >.

(source: Reuters)