Supertanker Orders Soar as US-Iran War Redraws Oil Trade Routes

Supertanker orders have surged to a 25-year high as the US-Iran war reshapes oil trade. According to Signal Group, shipowners have ordered over twice as many Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) this year as in all of 2025, with a buying spree worth more than $20 billion. VLCCs can carry about two million barrels of oil.

Data from Allied Shipbroking recorded 164 VLCC orders, up from 83 last year. The surge signals growing acceptance that oil will continue to travel longer distances from the Atlantic basin as buyers diversify away from Middle Eastern sources.

Rebecca Galanopoulos, senior analyst at Veson Nautical, believes owners are betting on increased long-haul shipments from the Atlantic to Asia, driving renewed demand for VLCC ordering. Ioannis Papadimitriou, analyst at Vortexa, also sees regional production growing by around 2.5 million barrels per day through 2030, largely feeding European and Asian markets.