North Sea Crude Daily Market Analysis / Asian demand tightens Atlantic crude supply / East of Suez prices attract barrels over West

Sep 14, 2026

Differentials in the North Sea crude oil market rose further Sept. 10 as strengthening Asian demand tightened the supply balance in the Atlantic basin. Increasing feedstock demand from China, the world’s largest crude importer, has been cited as a key driver of a tighter global supply outlook. Now, fixture data that published indicated that Vitol had chartered very large crude carriers (VLCCs) for the Hound Point-Far East route for loading in the third decade of September. the Hound Point-Far East VLCC freight rate at $122.22/ metric ton Sept. 10, rising $14.81 day over day to reach a new record. With this shipment, two VLCC-sized cargoes of Forties bound for China would have loaded in September. This would likely mark the largest monthly volume of Forties headed toward China since April...

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