Platts launches cargo size for its Americas Suezmax Caribbean-USGC dirty tanker assessment Sept. 1

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, amends the cargo size basis for its 150,000 mt Caribbean-US Gulf Coast dirty tanker assessment to 145,000 mt effective Sept. 1, 2023 to better reflect spot market fixtures and indications.

Platts understands that spot fixtures are typically negotiated on a 145,000 mt basis for this route, and shifts the cargo size basis for the Suezmax 150,000 mt Caribbean-USGC route to a cargo size basis 145,000 mt. Trade flows out of the Caribbean have shifted to the 145,000 mt cargo size to coordinate with the widely traded 145,000 mt USGC-UK Continent/Mediterranean route, with the spot fixtures on a 145,000 mt basis steadily increasing since 2021, comprising 50% of total observed fixtures in 2021, 82% in 2022 and 67% so far in 2023. Loadings out of Covenas have almost exclusively shifted from 150,000 mt to 145,000 mt since 2021, while Guyana loadings on the route are basis 145,000 mt with the exception of Exxon's standard 130,000 mt loadings.

The amendment affects the following:

These assessments appear on Platts Global Alert page 1972, on Platts Shipping Alert page 2440, in the Dirty Tankerwire and in the Platts price database under the codes above.

Please send any comments or questions to shipping@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.

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