OIL MARKETS

摘要

The number of scrubber retrofits on tankers has slowed significantly since the outbreak of COVID -19 and while at present bunker fuel spreads have narrowed, extending the scrubber payback period, many owners are preferring to delay fittings, anticipating oil prices will rise and bunker spreads will widen. In the lead up to the switch to 0.5% sulphur bunker fuels as of January 1, 2020, shipyards were full with ships that had elected to install scrubbers. Owners were keen to get their tankers retrofitted to maximise trading their vessels during the anticipated period of widest price spreads between 3.5% sulphur (HSFO) and 0.5% sulphur (VLSFO) at the beginning of this year.