Sources indicated on 25 September 2026 that the very large crude carrier (VLCC) market has quietened considerably following a week of exceptional activity and record rates, according to Affinity Research LLP.
The shortfall in activity relative to the previous week points to an immediate easing of pressure on freight levels, Affinity’s bulletin, published as Affinity Tanker Weekly on 25 September 2026, noted.
Market cools after a record week
A pronounced reduction in reported voyages and chartering enquiries has, for now, replaced the frenetic pace that produced record numbers only days earlier, the Affinity note said. Market participants who had been adjusting positions during the surge will now be assessing exposure as available tonnage and demand re-balance.
What the quietening indicates
A quieter VLCC patch generally affords charterers greater scope to negotiate and can reduce the urgency that feeds short‑term spikes in rates, while owners must weigh the recent gains against the possibility of reduced earnings in the near term. Affinity Research LLP framed the development simply: the market’s exceptional activity last week has given way to a significantly less active spell this week.
The bulletin does not, in the text supplied for this report, quantify the rate moves or cite specific cargoes or trading regions; it confines its assessment to the change in market tempo. That restraint leaves the central fact concise and verifiable: a pronounced step down from the exceptional conditions recorded the previous week.
Short-term market behaviour following such a reversal often depends on how quickly enquiry and fixing volumes recover, and on whether the previous surge reflected a transient imbalance or a more sustained shift in fundamentals. Affinity’s weekly note serves as the immediate market snapshot; it signals a pause rather than a definitive turn in the cycle.
For shipowners, the sudden contrast between a record‑setting week and a much quieter one underscores the volatility that can characterise VLCC employment, while charterers and brokers will monitor whether the lull offers durable commercial advantage. Affinity Tanker Weekly remains a read‑through for brokers and principals seeking to understand that near‑week movement.
The report published by reports on 25 September 2026 relays Affinity Research LLP’s assessment without expanding into broader commentary. As such, the clearest takeaway is the change in market tempo itself: a marked reduction in activity relative to a prior week of exceptional conditions and record rates.