October 18, 2026
The ‘prompt delivery premium’, described by New York broker Poten & Partners as ‘extreme’, has reversed the normal pricing of secondhand vessels which, in ordinary market conditions, is based principally on the discounted cost of a new ship. But even though tanker rates eased last week, the premium that some owners are willing to pay remains at astonishing levels.
According to Poten’s figures, a prompt VLCC resale, with delivery today, would probably fetch a price of $235 million compared with a newbuilding, delivery 2029, at around $130 million, an 82% premium. Even 15-year-old vessels, if an owner prepared to sell one could be found, would be likely to cost around $140 million.
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