Rates for anchor-handling /supply vessels in the North Sea fell in July 2026, after several months in which they reached extremely high levels
Hagland Shipbrokers said the Norwegian anchor handling market cooled somewhat, after a particularly active June. “Additional tonnage entered the market during the month, although several vessels were unavailable due to yard stays and maintenance,” the broker explained in its most recent report on the market.
The broker said average rates in Norway came in at NKr1,100,000 (US$115,500), compared to NKr2,450,000 (US$257,300) in June. “The decline was largely driven by improved vessel availability, and more often than not, charterers had multiple owners competing for requirements,” said Hagland.
In the UK, activity levels exceeded those seen on the Norwegian side, with several Norwegian-owned vessels crossing over to pick up work in the UK sector. Hagland recorded an average rate of £115,000 (US$154,600), down from £192,000 (US$258,000) in June.
Looking ahead, said the broker, a number of vessels are expected to move onto project commitments during August, potentially reducing spot availability across the region
The low level of activity in the Norwegian platform supply vessel (PSV) market throughout June continued into July, with only a handful of fixtures during the entire month. “Even though there were only a couple of vessels available for spot work, the market was never completely sold out,” said Hagland. “As a result of this, rates went down, and average rates came in at NKr162,000 (US$17,000), down NKr212,000 (US$22,250)from the previous month.”
In contrast, the UK side of the North Sea was relatively active. Most UK-based charterers picked up spot vessels, and the down time between jobs was never too long for owners. Hagland said that, on average, PSV rates came in at £15,000 (US$20,165), a slight drop from June, where the average was £16,600 (US$22,315).
Looking ahead, a similar trend is emerging to that predicted in the AHTS vessel market. “A number of PSVs are expected to commence project and term commitments in August, and a result, we expect a tighter market in the North Sea, particularly on the UK side,” the broker concluded.
