Record volumes of sale-and-purchase transactions have led to "eye-watering" price rises this year, according to Clarksons Research.
The UK company has logged 84m dwt of ships worth more than $22bn changing hands in the first six months of the year, despite some difficulties remaining from the pandemic, especially around crew transfers.
Clarksons Research managing director Stephen Gordon said: "A year ago, the sale-and-purchase markets were struggling with huge Covid-19 economic uncertainty and the wide-ranging logistical challenges of delivering a ship."
