January 8, 2026 Megan Kennedy at Marsoft gives some pointers on the current VLGC market: VLGC rates are still seeing gains as we enter the new year. Spot rates on both the US–Japan and Middle East–Japan routes are currently above $60,000 per day, more than $20,000 per day higher than this time a year ago. Rates for these routes averaged a similar amount in December, and yet China has not returned fully to importing LPG from the US as it did before tariffs and the trade war b

January 5, 2026 Recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela represents a major geopolitical development, but a relatively modest near-term event for global shipping markets. Venezuela’s current role in seaborne oil trade is limited, and despite the country’s large reserves, any meaningful recovery in crude production will require substantial time and investment. The more relevant shipping implications lie in trade flow reshuffling, sanctions enforcement and dark fleet adaptations,

December 5, 2025 By Megan Kennedy Spot rates for conventional VLGCs have started the last month of 2025 averaging more than 30% higher than rates in December of 2024. So far this month, VLGC rates have topped over $60,000 per day, and for Q4-to-date, conventional rates are averaging roughly $57,000 per day – some 40% higher than the same quarter last year.   The fourth quarter is typically a lower-demand period for VLGCs, whereby Asian demand falls back after its Q3 seasonal

VLCC spot rates have surged past $120,000/day, driven by OPEC supply, sanctions enforcement, and a sharp rise in oil on the water. In this episode of The Marsoft Beat, Ryan Uljua speaks with Marsoft Senior VP John Moulopoulos to break down what’s behind the spike and how long it’s likely to last. Drawing on Marsoft’s recent 25Q4 Tanker Market Report, they discuss the temporary drivers lifting earnings today, the impact of Red Sea normalization on tonne-mile demand, accelerati

In the latest Marsoft Beat, Ryan Uljua sits down with Marsoft President Dr. Arlie Sterling to unpack what >100% US-China tariffs mean for...

Crude tanker rates surged last week in response to the announcement of another round of sanctions on the Russian energy sector, starting...

This week, the Financial Times  echoed a theme we've been exploring at Marsoft: the profound transformation underway in the Chinese...

28 October 2024 Jan Fraser Jenkins met with Marsoft’s LNG shipping market team, Hauke Kite-Powell and Ryan Uljua, to get an update on...

By Costas Bardjis Increasingly, it seems that unanticipated events are becoming the norm in shipping. Placing the words “unanticipated”...

Hostilities in the Middle East are likely to lead to even greater disruption of traffic on the Suez Canal and likely in the Gulf of Hormuz.

On March 14th, Marsoft participated in a panel discussion at CMA Shipping moderated by Arlie Sterling, Marsoft's President. The panel...

December 19th, 2023 Maersk, Hapag Lloyd, MSC, CMA CGM, Yang Ming and HMM have announced that they are suspending shipping through the Red...

At COP28, amidst discussions revolving around national emission reduction targets and the imperative phasing out of certain fossil fuels,...

Arlie Sterling, President of Marsoft, joined a distinguished panel at Shipping Insight on 10th October to discuss the potential presented...

We are thrilled to share from the recent Marine Money Athens event, where Marsoft's President, Arlie Sterling, and Anna Stablum, Director...

Greek Shipping Finance Forum, Athens, 17th October 2023 12.45 Athens: Arlie Sterling, President of Marsoft and Anna Stablum, Business...

ASBA Cargo Conference, Miami Beach, 27-29th September Arlie Sterling, President of Marsoft will be joining the conference on Friday 29th...

October 10th – 12th SHIPPINGInsight Annual Conference – Stamford CT The theme of this year’s conference The Decade of Collaboration On...

After peaking in the 2020/21 crop year at 580 million tonnes, the grain trade has now fallen over the past two years. The latest figures...

If you missed Hauke Kite-Powell, Sr VP Decarbonization at Marsoft, on the panel discussion All About Carbon Capture – Carbon Offset you...