War Risk Insurance Spirals Higher for Middle East Tankers

  • Premiums are soaring after second spate of attacks near Gulf
  • Owners seen temporarily wary of taking bookings from region
Flames are brought under control on the Front Altair vessel on June 13.Photographer: Tasnim News/AFP via Getty Images
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Oil tanker owners face spiraling insurance costs to load cargoes from the world’s largest crude-export region after the latest round of attacks on vessels.

War risk premiums that owners pay each time they go to the Persian Gulf have now surged to at least $185,000 for supertankers, according to people with knowledge of the market. They rose to $50,000 after the attacks a month ago.