As global demands for oil products, such as gasoline, diesel oil and etc., are greatly growing, not only needs for product carriers are increasing but newbuilding orderbook has significantly expanded.
Particularly, MR PCs in the range of 30,000-50,000 dwt has shown a rapidly growing demand.
Intermodal said that for the past five years, MR PC showed the slowest increasing speed in terms of number and scale in tanker sector. Added that however, during the last 12 months, a considerable volume of newbuildings was ordered, which is expected to change the market.
Also, Intermodal pointed out that MR PC’s orderbook ratio to existing fleet is seen to be 15%, reaching the highest.”
In addition, MR PC fleet is prospected to expand by around 6% this year and newbuilding delivery is seen to be increasing in the upcoming future. Thus, the research firm expected that 7% of the current operating fleet will be delivered in 2014.    
However, demand for PC is so strong that the fleet increase will not be larger than ton-mile demand growth, according to Intermodal. The firm added that it will not damage earning profit momentum.
An official at Intermodal said, “What is more worrying is that there is still significant investment towards further newbuilding orders despite concerns over MR PC fleet’s overcapacity,” and prospected, “Since charterers have already hesitated to sign charter contracts for old MR PCs (around 321 units) aged older than 15 years, newbuildings will not confront oversupply problems.”