VLCC Market Treading Carefully Amid Uncertainties in International Shipping News 18/05/2026 Clean LR2 The TC1 75kt MEG/Japan index continued along just under the WS550 mark this week. A voyage west also saw the TC20 90kt MEG/UK-Continent index dipped by $112,000 to $10.76 million. The TC15 80kt Mediterranean/East index came down another 11% to $8.73 million this week with the corresponding TCE dropping to $74,900/day on Baltic description round trip. LR1 The TC5 55kt MEG/Japan index has been assessed consistently at the WS600 level all week. A run west on TC8 65kt MEG/UK-Continent also remained stable at the $8.49 million mark. MR The TC17 35kt MEG/East Africa index dropped an incremental 8.5 points this week to WS726, this would generate $89,500/day on Baltic description round trip TCE. On the UK-Continent, MR freight levels look to have stabilised having possibly reached a floor for the moment. The TC2 37kt ARA/US-Atlantic Coast index was assessed 3.4 points lower than last week at WS210, with the Baltic TCE for the round trip now at $15,400/day. In the US Gulf, MR freight was crushed again this week. The TC14 38kt US Gulf/UK-Continent run is currently publishing at WS155, down 20% from where it started the week, the Baltic round trip TCE for the run is now at $6,200/day, down a further 59% from last week. The Caribbean voyage on TC21, 38kt US-Gulf/Caribbean, also dropped $217,000 and currently sits at $514,000 with the corresponding TCE now at $4,200/day (down 75%) on Baltic description. The MR Atlantic Triangulation Basket TCE went from $33,300/day to $24,500/day. Handymax In the Mediterranean, Handymax rates dropped again this week with the TC6, 30kt Cross-Mediterranean index shedding another 60 points to WS334, translating to $56,100/day on Baltic TCE round trip. The TC23 30kt Cross UK-Continent route also lost 62 points this week and is currently pegged at WS317 which generates $48,200/day on Baltic TCE round trip. VLCC The ongoing Middle East crisis continue