Iran VLCC mystery
IRAN is thought to be idling 14 VLCCs near an oil loading facility in Kharg Island, claimed today's Iran Daily.
The newspaper also publishes speculation that the Iranians are storing oil in the 14 VLCCs. By keeping those VLCCs out of the market, international tanker freight rates would be borne up both in the VLCC range and in other size ranges as charterers would be forced to cargo-split into Suezmaxes and Aframaxes owing to a current general scarcity of VLCCs.
The newspaper also reports three tankers have been chartered. Fairplay contacted the National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) but no-one was available for comment.
Research on AISLive.com today reveals that four NITC tankers were at anchorage around Kharg. These were the Damavand, the Daylam, the Huwayzeh and the Hoda.
There was also one Malaysian flagged VLCC, the Maliau, which is owned, managed and operated by Gagasan Carriers.