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Shippers Are Offering Sailors Up to $25,000 a Trip to Sneak Oil Out of the Gulf

Wall Street Journal US Business ·

🇬🇧 English

Shippers are offering sailors up to $25,000 per trip to conduct dangerous shuttle runs moving oil out of the Persian Gulf amid heightened Iranian threats. The cost of these VLCC voyages has surged to $30–$40 million round trip, or $15–$20 per barrel excluding insurance, as producers deem it economically preferable to leaving oil stranded. Despite attacks—seven ships hit since Sept. 28—demand for shuttle runs has grown, with the core fleet increasing from 30 to 39 vessels since August.

Sailors from India, the Philippines, and China are being lured with payouts two to three times their typical monthly salary. One Shandong-based staffing company offers $25,000 per round trip for oilers and ordinary seamen on VLCCs entering the Gulf on a rolling basis. Shipowners are seeing returns rarely seen in decades, with daily supertanker hire costs to China now exceeding $1.2 million, up from $231,400 before the war and under $40,000 in early January.

The trend expanded after drone attacks shut Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, prompting Aramco and regional peers to adopt shuttle tankers. Marisks founder Dimitris Maniatis and E. A.

Gibson’s Richard Matthews confirm the market is generating extraordinary revenues for shipowners, making the sailor bonuses negligible in comparison.

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🇸🇦 العربية

Mariners يحصلون على $25,000 لرحلات نقل النفط في الخليج

Shippers are offering sailors up to $25,000 per trip to conduct dangerous shuttle runs moving oil out of the Persian Gulf amid heightened Iranian threats. The cost of these VLCC voyages has surged to $30–$40 million round trip, or $15–$20 per barrel excluding insurance, as producers deem it economically preferable to leaving oil stranded. Despite attacks—seven ships hit since Sept. 28—demand for shuttle runs has grown, with the core fleet increasing from 30 to 39 vessels since August.

Sailors from India, the Philippines, and China are being lured with payouts two to three times their typical monthly salary. One Shandong-based staffing company offers $25,000 per round trip for oilers and ordinary seamen on VLCCs entering the Gulf on a rolling basis. Shipowners are seeing returns rarely seen in decades, with daily supertanker hire costs to China now exceeding $1.2 million, up from $231,400 before the war and under $40,000 in early January.

The trend expanded after drone attacks shut Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, prompting Aramco and regional peers to adopt shuttle tankers. Marisks founder Dimitris Maniatis and E. A.

Gibson’s Richard Matthews confirm the market is generating extraordinary revenues for shipowners, making the sailor bonuses negligible in comparison.

Why are shippers paying sailors up to $25,000 per trip for Gulf oil shuttle runs?

To incentivize sailors to undertake high-risk voyages through the Strait of Hormuz amid Iranian threats, ensuring oil keeps flowing despite dangers, as the financial returns for shipowners far exceed these costs.

العربية version →


🇪🇸 Español

Marineros pagados $25,000 por traslados de petróleo del Golfo

Shippers are offering sailors up to $25,000 per trip to conduct dangerous shuttle runs moving oil out of the Persian Gulf amid heightened Iranian threats. The cost of these VLCC voyages has surged to $30–$40 million round trip, or $15–$20 per barrel excluding insurance, as producers deem it economically preferable to leaving oil stranded. Despite attacks—seven ships hit since Sept. 28—demand for shuttle runs has grown, with the core fleet increasing from 30 to 39 vessels since August.

Sailors from India, the Philippines, and China are being lured with payouts two to three times their typical monthly salary. One Shandong-based staffing company offers $25,000 per round trip for oilers and ordinary seamen on VLCCs entering the Gulf on a rolling basis. Shipowners are seeing returns rarely seen in decades, with daily supertanker hire costs to China now exceeding $1.2 million, up from $231,400 before the war and under $40,000 in early January.

The trend expanded after drone attacks shut Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, prompting Aramco and regional peers to adopt shuttle tankers. Marisks founder Dimitris Maniatis and E. A.

Gibson’s Richard Matthews confirm the market is generating extraordinary revenues for shipowners, making the sailor bonuses negligible in comparison.

Why are shippers paying sailors up to $25,000 per trip for Gulf oil shuttle runs?

To incentivize sailors to undertake high-risk voyages through the Strait of Hormuz amid Iranian threats, ensuring oil keeps flowing despite dangers, as the financial returns for shipowners far exceed these costs.

Español version →


🇮🇳 हिन्दी

Gulf Oil Shuttle Runs के लिए सैलर्स को $25,000 मिल रहा है

Shippers are offering sailors up to $25,000 per trip to conduct dangerous shuttle runs moving oil out of the Persian Gulf amid heightened Iranian threats. The cost of these VLCC voyages has surged to $30–$40 million round trip, or $15–$20 per barrel excluding insurance, as producers deem it economically preferable to leaving oil stranded. Despite attacks—seven ships hit since Sept. 28—demand for shuttle runs has grown, with the core fleet increasing from 30 to 39 vessels since August.

Sailors from India, the Philippines, and China are being lured with payouts two to three times their typical monthly salary. One Shandong-based staffing company offers $25,000 per round trip for oilers and ordinary seamen on VLCCs entering the Gulf on a rolling basis. Shipowners are seeing returns rarely seen in decades, with daily supertanker hire costs to China now exceeding $1.2 million, up from $231,400 before the war and under $40,000 in early January.

The trend expanded after drone attacks shut Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, prompting Aramco and regional peers to adopt shuttle tankers. Marisks founder Dimitris Maniatis and E. A.

Gibson’s Richard Matthews confirm the market is generating extraordinary revenues for shipowners, making the sailor bonuses negligible in comparison.

Why are shippers paying sailors up to $25,000 per trip for Gulf oil shuttle runs?

To incentivize sailors to undertake high-risk voyages through the Strait of Hormuz amid Iranian threats, ensuring oil keeps flowing despite dangers, as the financial returns for shipowners far exceed these costs.

हिन्दी version →


🇨🇳 简体中文

Gulf Oil Shuttle Runs Sailors Paid $25,000

Shippers are offering sailors up to $25,000 per trip to conduct dangerous shuttle runs moving oil out of the Persian Gulf amid heightened Iranian threats. The cost of these VLCC voyages has surged to $30–$40 million round trip, or $15–$20 per barrel excluding insurance, as producers deem it economically preferable to leaving oil stranded. Despite attacks—seven ships hit since Sept. 28—demand for shuttle runs has grown, with the core fleet increasing from 30 to 39 vessels since August.

Sailors from India, the Philippines, and China are being lured with payouts two to three times their typical monthly salary. One Shandong-based staffing company offers $25,000 per round trip for oilers and ordinary seamen on VLCCs entering the Gulf on a rolling basis. Shipowners are seeing returns rarely seen in decades, with daily supertanker hire costs to China now exceeding $1.2 million, up from $231,400 before the war and under $40,000 in early January.

The trend expanded after drone attacks shut Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, prompting Aramco and regional peers to adopt shuttle tankers. Marisks founder Dimitris Maniatis and E. A.

Gibson’s Richard Matthews confirm the market is generating extraordinary revenues for shipowners, making the sailor bonuses negligible in comparison.

Why are shippers paying sailors up to $25,000 per trip for Gulf oil shuttle runs?

To incentivize sailors to undertake high-risk voyages through the Strait of Hormuz amid Iranian threats, ensuring oil keeps flowing despite dangers, as the financial returns for shipowners far exceed these costs.

简体中文 version →