Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2026-01-09 07:40Core Viewpoint - The oil shipping industry has experienced a four-year upward trend, with expectations that tanker profitability could reach a ten-year high by 2025. The capital market shows significant divergence regarding future trends in oil shipping, indicating potential opportunities for investment [1]. Group 1: Oil Shipping Long-term Logic - The first phase of the oil shipping boom is driven by geopolitical conflicts, notably the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has restructured global oil trade and increased average shipping distances, leading to a significant rise in demand [1]. - The second phase is anticipated to be driven by global oil production increases, particularly with OPEC+ expected to commence production increases in April 2025, transitioning from a reduction to an expansion phase in global oil supply [1]. - The aging fleet of oil tankers, combined with stricter environmental regulations and sanctions on shadow fleets, is expected to maintain a rigid supply of compliant market capacity, supporting continued demand growth in the oil shipping sector [1]. Group 2: 2025 Outlook - The oil shipping market is projected to experience a significant recovery in 2025, with tanker capacity utilization expected to rise to threshold levels, making rates sensitive to marginal supply and demand changes [2]. - The average daily earnings for Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCTCE) are estimated to reach $51,000 in 2025, surpassing the $36,000 forecast for 2023-2024, indicating a potential ten-year high in tanker profitability [2]. - The oil shipping industry has been on an upward trajectory since 2022, marking four consecutive years of growth [2]. Group 3: Gray Market and Compliance - The tightening of sanctions by the U.S. on Iran and shadow fleets has led to a decline in operational efficiency for these fleets, while the shift of India from Russian oil to compliant crude is expected to benefit the compliant market [3]. - Recent U.S. measures against Venezuela may impact its oil exports, potentially driving an increase in compliant oil production and benefiting the compliant market supply [3]. - Future geopolitical developments, particularly regarding sanctions on Venezuela and Russia, could significantly expand the compliant oil shipping market and reduce the operational space for shadow fleets, accelerating the dismantling of older tankers [3].