The changing dynamics of global oil seaborne trade are evident in Poten & Partners’ newly released annual list of top dirty spot charterers for 2024. This year’s data reflects China’s economic slowdown and the shift in Russian oil trade, as former trading partners seek non-pipelined alternatives.
Unipec, China's largest charterer, remained dominant, though its number of fixtures dropped for the second consecutive year. Other Chinese players, Sinochem and PetroChina, exited the top 10 VLCC charterer rankings.
One of the significant changes was the debut of Polish charterer PKN Orlen, which entered the top 20 at number 16. PKN Orlen is diversifying its crude oil supplies, moving away from pipelined Russian oil and increasing its focus on seaborne crude from regions like the Middle East and North Sea.
In the suezmax segment, ExxonMobil topped the list, followed by Repsol, with Total making a comeback to the top 10 at number three.
