(Feb 3): Tankers moving crude from the Middle East to China have charged the highest fees in two months this week, after nervousness over Iran tensions combined with tight vessel supply to drive up prices. The daily earnings of a vessel on the benchmark TD3C route gained 5.1% on Monday to nearly US$129,000 (RM508,135) per day, the highest since late November, according to data published by the Baltic Exchange. Last week’s speculations about escalating tensions between Iran and the US prompted a rush from charterers to secure vessels ahead of any potential supply disruption, shipbrokers said. As a result, the global Worldscale index, which captures the cost of transporting oil through a complex analysis of freight routes, jumped from 105 to 140 on Friday due to disruptions affecting the TD3C route, brokers said. The possibility of easing tensions prompted a slide in prices of crude futures this week.

Source: The Edge Markets February 03, 2026 10:00 UTC