Svmuu News: Shipping intelligence firm Kpler reported that on Monday, freight rate futures for Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) surged by as much as 85% amid growing uncertainty over the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, before retreating somewhat later in the trading session. Spot freight rates on routes from key Middle Eastern oil-producing regions to China have risen from $6.55 per barrel to $12 per barrel, reflecting restricted vessel passage and rising risk premiums. In terms of deadweight tonnage, approximately 6% of the global tanker fleet is stranded in the Gulf region, with VLCCs compliant with current environmental regulations accounting for 9.6% of that total. With crude oil loading operations restricted, the few charter contracts that have been concluded are driving up freight rates. The market expects that export disruptions in the Middle East will boost demand for tankers in the Atlantic Basin, the U.S. Gulf Coast, and India. (Jin Shi)