Tanker Sales Volume Surges 27% in 2025 Despite Softer Prices
Tanker sale and purchase (S&P) activity has remained robust through 2025, with Clarksons Research logging 409 vessels totaling 44.5 million dwt and $13.9 billion in value—up 27% in deadweight tonnage versus the 2024 run rate, though only 3% higher in dollars amid declining secondhand prices. This resilience signals strong buyer interest in a market adapting to geopolitical tensions and energy demand shifts.
Key Drivers in Tanker Transactions
Clarksons’ five-year-old tanker secondhand price index averaged 10% lower in 2025 than 2024, yet ticked up 5% since September, reflecting stabilizing sentiment. VesselsValue data shows tanker values holding steady in December, with VLCCs leading gains: 20-year-old 310,000 dwt units rose 7.27% month-on-month to $43.21 million, driven by demand for older tonnage amid scarce eco-compliant vessels.
- NYK sold the 19-year-old VLCC Towada for $45.7 million.
- Cido Shipping offloaded the 14-year-old VLCCs Mermaid Hope and Mercury Hope en bloc for $120 million.
These deals underscore opportunistic buying as owners refresh fleets for IMO regulations and prolonged oil trade routes.
Broadening Shipping Market Trends
Bulker S&P slowed early December with just 14 transactions despite firm freight and charter rates, but values firmed up—capesizes up 5.42% for 20-year-olds to $19.06 million. Notable sales include NGM Shipping's profitable flip of the 14-year-old Japanese-built Pacifist from $19 million to $32 million, and NYK Bulkship's $18.7 million sale of the 2012-built NBA Rembrandt to ArcelorMittal Shipping.
Container S&P ends 2025 strongly, mirroring stable elevated charters (up 35% on 2024 averages), despite 45% lower spot rates per Drewry. Alphaliner notes firm prices across sizes, exemplified by the en bloc $90 million sale of middle-aged 8,568 teu sisters Cypress, Koi, and Lotus A to Global Ship Lease, with charter-back to CMA CGM.
Implications for Global Trade
Healthy tanker volumes despite price softness highlight tonnage-hungry buyers betting on sustained crude flows amid supply constraints and Middle East disruptions. This contrasts bulker steadiness and container cheer, pointing to a bifurcated recovery where asset values decouple from spot weakness. Looking ahead, tighter newbuild orderbooks and green retrofits could sustain S&P momentum, bolstering shipping's role in energy security and supply chain resilience.
