The single-hull tanker fleet of vessels over 10,000 dwt has shrunk by over a quarter in 2011.

    The SH tanker tonnage now stands at 19.2m dwt, made up of 300 vessels, according to shipbroker Gibson in its end of year tanker report.

    However, for the large crude tanker sectors volumes have shrunk by a third, with just 66 single-hull aframax, suezmax and very large crude carriers in service, as owners have either sold these vessels for conversion or sent them to be recycled.

    The double-hull fleet now accounts for 97% of the total 1,892 ships of these three vessels classes on the water at the end of 2011, compared to 95% last year, the London-headquartered broker reported.

    These figures have been supported by relatively high scrap volumes; although down on 2010 figures of 12m dwt tanker tonnage demolished, 9m dwt has left the fleet for breakers yards this year, Gibson’s database shows.

    This did little to counterbalance the significant number of newbuildings continuing to be delivered from shipyards. Gibson counts 37.3m dwt of tanker tonnage, made up of 298 vessels, entering service during January to November, compared with 39.8m dwt, or 374 ships, in the full year 2010.

source:asiasis