From 2024 to present, the trading activity of second-hand dry bulk carriers has significantly increased. Ship brokerage firm Xclusiv stated in its latest weekly report that in the first nine months of 2024, there was frequent trading of second-hand dry bulk carriers, with both the number and amount of transactions soaring significantly compared to the same period in 2023. Among them, the number of transactions has reached 612, an increase of 34.5% compared to 455 in the same period of 2023; The transaction amount increased by 50%, from $8 billion last year to $12 billion this year. Chinese buyers are particularly active, having purchased 115 dry bulk carriers so far in 2024, a significant increase from the 66 acquired in 2023. Greek and Japanese buyers have also shown strong interest, having purchased 107 units each this year, compared to 77 and 68 units in the same period of 2023. On the seller side, Chinese shipowners have sold 158 dry bulk carriers this year, while Greek shipowners have sold 146.

On the other hand, in the second-hand oil tanker trading, the market has stagnated and the trading pace has slowed down. According to Xclusiv, a total of 332 oil tankers changed hands in the first nine months of 2024, with a total value of approximately $10 billion. Compared to the 456 oil tankers sold during the same period in 2023 (with a total value of 13.2 billion US dollars), it decreased by 27.2%. Greek buyers and sellers are active in the oil tanker market, with Greek shipowners purchasing 40 oil tankers and selling 52 this year. In 2023, the corresponding numbers are 41 and 100 respectively. Chinese shipowners have sold 32 oil tankers this year, less than 44 in 2023; At the same time, 49 were purchased, slightly less than the 51 in 2023. This year, American shipowners sold 21 oil tankers, down from 28 in 2023; The United Arab Emirates has purchased 17 oil tankers, a significant decrease from 46 in 2023.

Xclusiv pointed out that the dual impact of escalating geopolitical tensions and intensified market volatility has once again cast the shadow of the global oil crisis over the energy market. The continuous increase in market demand for oil, as well as the limited idle production capacity of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, will further exacerbate market volatility. Xclusiv believes that the impact of this crisis is not limited to the energy sector, and the soaring oil prices may have a chain reaction on other commodities, transportation costs, and inflation, ultimately affecting global consumers and businesses.