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Hunter Says Counterparty Owes $55 Million as Supertanker Rates Soar

Published Sep 8, 2026
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Summary:
  • Hunter Group ASA says a counterparty owes $55 million tied to freight, with the shortfall building for months and up about $12 million from a month ago.
  • The company hasn't identified the customer; in May, a source with direct knowledge said it is Mercuria Energy Group.
  • Tanker earnings have spiked during the Iran war, Houthi attacks, and a big South Korean supertanker bet, pushing the Saudi-to-China benchmark to a record $728,000 a day and voyages to China loading outside the Strait of Hormuz to $302,000.

The dispute and the number at stake

Hunter Group ASA says it is owed $55 million in freight-related payments, with the underpayment accumulating over several months and now about $12 million higher than its last update. The company hasn't named the counterparty. In May, a source with direct knowledge said the customer in question is Mercuria Energy Group.

Why rates are spiking

Tanker earnings have jumped beginning with the onset of the Iran war, as owners are charging hefty surcharges for loading in the Persian Gulf because of the threat of attacks. This is significant since the supertanker benchmark is built on voyages that start inside that waterway. Add in Houthi attacks on shipping and a sizable bet on supertankers from a South Korean shipowner, and you get a market pushed to record highs.

Uncertainty can remind investors to focus on protecting and growing their savings. Join Briefs Finance CEO Jaspreet Singh on September 29th for a FREE live investor workshop, How to Profit From A Dollar That's Losing its Value, where he shows how we're spotting investment opportunities as the dollar falls. Save your spot.

Benchmarks and the legal angle

On Monday, crude carriers on the Saudi Arabia to China route were pegged at $728,000 a day, a record that is more than 10 times last year's average. Ships loading outside the Strait of Hormuz for China are still seeing lofty returns at $302,000 a day, though that trails the inside-Gulf routes. Hunter says it is awaiting a court case, where it plans to argue that the Iran war has distorted the reference rate for the key Middle East to China route. On Tuesday, Mercuria declined to comment.

A steady approach helps preserve capital and find opportunities over time. Our CEO Jaspreet Singh is hosting a FREE live investor workshop, How to Profit From A Dollar That's Losing its Value, on September 29th. Sign up free to join him live.

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