Chemical tanker consolidation will continue, according to analysts at Veson Nautical, but the merger-and-acquisition landscape is radically different to previous years.

The US optimisation and valuation group told TradeWinds that the sector remains a dynamic arena for transactions, driven by soaring asset values and freight rates.

“The current M&A landscape is marked by some unprecedented market conditions in which asset prices are soaring in response to supply constraints in contrast to more distressed scenarios of previous years,” Veson added.