Sale and purchase activity in the tanker sector has remained robust through 2025, with Clarksons Research tallying 409 vessels totaling 44.5 million deadweight tons sold for $13.9 billion. This marks a 27% increase in tonnage compared to the 2024 run rate, though dollar value rose only 3% due to weaker secondhand prices. The disparity highlights persistent demand for tonnage even as values ease, signaling steady investor interest in a market shaped by freight strength and regulatory pressures.
Tankers Show Resilience with VLCC Gains
Clarksons’ five-year-old tanker secondhand price index averaged 10% lower in 2025 than in 2024, yet prices climbed 5% since September. Vessel values held stable across most categories in December, but VLCCs posted sharp advances; VesselsValue data records 20-year-old 310,000 dwt units rising 7.27% month-on-month to $43.21 million, driven by demand for older compliant vessels amid limited supply. Key deals underscore this trend: NYK sold the 19-year-old VLCC Towada for $45.7 million, while Cido Shipping offloaded the 14-year-old sisters Mermaid Hope and Mercury Hope en bloc for $120 million.
Bulker Activity Lags Despite Firm Freight
Bulk carrier sales slowed in early December, with just 14 transactions recorded despite solid freight markets and time charter rates. Values stayed level overall, though capesize vessels led gains—20-year-old 180,000 dwt units advanced 5.42% to $19.06 million per VesselsValue. Standout sales include NGM Shipping’s disposal of the 14-year-old Japanese-built Pacifist cape for $32 million, a vessel acquired five years prior for about $19 million, and NYK Bulkship’s sale of the 2012-built 107,000 dwt NBA Rembrandt to ArcelorMittal Shipping for $18.7 million following the sistership NBA Rubens’ transfer to Golden Union in September for around $15 million.
Containers Maintain Cheerful Close
The container charter market ended 2025 at elevated levels, up 35% against 2024’s one-year time charter average, even as global 40ft container rates fell 45% year-over-year per Drewry. Sale and purchase mirrored this firmness, with Alphaliner noting continued demand for most sizes and stable prices. A prime example: the middle-aged 8,568 teu sisters Cypress, Koi, and Lotus A sold en bloc to Global Ship Lease for $90 million, including a time charter back to CMA CGM.
