Nordic American Tankers Ltd (NYSE: NAT) – An optimistic summer message from NAT

Rhea-AI Summary

Nordic American Tankers (NYSE: NAT) issues an update highlighting a strong tanker market, citing scarcity of suezmax vessels and high freight rates that it expects could last for one to two years. The company reports that three NAT ships trapped in the Arabian Gulf since February 28, 2026 have been released and are trading worldwide. One vessel was recently attacked in the Black Sea, but the crew was unharmed and damage was minor. According to Nordic American Tankers, there are no significant insurance issues from the Arabian Gulf or Black Sea events, NAT does not trade in the Red Sea, and more than half of its business is with major global oil companies.

Positive

• High suezmax freight rates expected for 1–2 years
• Three trapped ships released from Arabian Gulf and trading worldwide
• Black Sea attack caused only minor damage; crew unharmed
• No material insurance issues reported from recent geopolitical incidents
• Over 50% of business with major global oil companies

Negative

• Three ships trapped in Arabian Gulf from February 28, 2026
• Recent vessel attack in the Black Sea underscores operational risk

News Market Reaction – NAT

+0.94%

+0.94% Session close to close

In the Jul 23 session, NAT gained 0.94%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

NAT's 4.58% 24-hour reaction to news_id 1080476 adds a recent positive comparison, while the broader...

Analysis

NAT's 4.58% 24-hour reaction to news_id 1080476 adds a recent positive comparison, while the broader record was mixed. Low short positioning is a relevant risk context; tanker rates and vessel safety warrant monitoring.

Key Figures

Suezmax capacity: one-million-barrel Expected market duration: one or two years Ships released: 3 ships +3 more

6 metrics

Suezmax capacity one-million-barrel NAT tanker vessels

Expected market duration one or two years Expected continuation of high rates and market conditions

Ships released 3 ships Ships trapped in the Arabian Gulf since February 28, 2026

Vessel operating history 68 countries Countries where NAT ships loaded or discharged over the last five years

Major oil company business more than 50% Share of NAT business with the largest oil companies

Operating history period five years Period referenced for NAT ship activity across countries

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jul 14 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Jul 14	Market conditions update	Positive	+3.1%	Company cited scarce ships and very high Suezmax rates lasting one to two years.
Jul 10	Insider share purchase	Positive	+4.6%	Founder and CEO bought 100,000 shares, increasing his personal holding.
Jul 02	Fleet operations update	Positive	+4.5%	Three ships exited the Arabian Gulf and resumed international operations.
Jun 25	Insider shareholding increase	Positive	-3.3%	Vice Chairman Alexander Hansson increased his stake to 6,000,000 shares.
Jun 03	Leadership share purchases	Positive	-0.4%	Company leadership reported additional share acquisitions and increased family ownership.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

NAT's recent positive operational and insider-related announcements produced both aligned gains and divergent declines.

Key Terms

suezmaxes

1 terms

suezmaxes technical

"rates for our one-million-barrel suezmaxes stay very high"

Suezmaxes are the largest oil tankers sized to fit through the Suez Canal without special restrictions, typically carrying about 120,000–200,000 deadweight tons. For investors, they matter because their availability and operating costs influence global oil transport capacity and shipping rates—similar to how the number and size of highway-trucks determine how quickly and cheaply goods move between cities.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Thursday, July 23, 2026

To our shareholders and other friends,

The market for our ships is exceptionally good, and we believe it will continue at least for a year or two.

We have seen geopolitical affairs in the past, but the magnitude of present events related to the global energy picture is unprecedented. 

As always there are so-called “experts” and analysts, making a living from out of having opinions about what is going to happen next. Many of them have been wrong for some time, and some of them have been wrong all the time. These experts don’t own ships and they don’t trade oil. We, in Nordic American, put our money where our mouth is.

Important points for Nordic American Tankers now:

1)   There is a scarcity of ships and rates for our one-million-barrel suezmaxes stay very high. We expect this to continue at least for a year or two.

2)   The situation for NAT is the same whether the Hormuz Strait is open or not.

3)   Three NAT ships were trapped in the Arabian Gulf since February 28, 2026.

4)   We succeeded in getting the three ships from out of the Arabian Gulf and they are now trading worldwide.

5)   One of our ships encountered attacks in the Black Sea a few days ago. Fortunately, the crew was safe and the ship only suffered minor damage. The vessel is now out of the Black Sea area.

6)   There is no insurance issues of importance related to our unwilling stay in the Arabian Gulf or the Black Sea. We do not trade our ships in the Red Sea.

7)   Over the last five years our ships have loaded/discharged in 68 countries.

8)   More than 50% of the NAT business is with the largest oil companies in the world. Our experience with Major Oil is excellent.

9)   The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.

All the best!

For further information on Nordic American Tankers. Please see our web page www.nat.bm

  

Sincerely,

Herbjorn Hansson
Founder, Chairman & CEO

Nordic American Tankers Ltd.                                                        www.nat.bm

 

 

Contacts:       

Bjørn Giæver, CFO                                                             
Nordic American Tankers Ltd                                             
Tel: +1 888 755 8391                                  

Alexander Kihle, Finance Manager
Nordic American Tankers Ltd
Tel: +47 91 724 171    

 

FAQ

What key market outlook did Nordic American Tankers (NYSE: NAT) share in July 2026?

Nordic American Tankers expects an exceptionally strong tanker market with high suezmax rates for at least one to two years. According to Nordic American Tankers, this view is driven by unprecedented global energy-related geopolitical developments and a scarcity of one-million-barrel suezmax ships.

How were Nordic American Tankers (NAT) ships affected in the Arabian Gulf in 2026?

Three NAT ships were trapped in the Arabian Gulf from February 28, 2026. According to Nordic American Tankers, the company has since succeeded in releasing these vessels, which are now trading worldwide, with no insurance issues of material importance reported from the incident.

Did Nordic American Tankers (NYSE: NAT) report any attacks on its vessels in 2026?

Nordic American Tankers reported that one ship encountered attacks in the Black Sea a few days before the July 23, 2026 letter. According to Nordic American Tankers, the crew remained safe, damage was minor, and the vessel has left the Black Sea area.

Are there significant insurance impacts for Nordic American Tankers (NAT) from the Arabian Gulf or Black Sea events?

Nordic American Tankers stated there are no insurance issues of importance related to its unwilling stay in the Arabian Gulf or the Black Sea. According to Nordic American Tankers, these geopolitical events have not created major insurance complications for the company’s fleet.

How diversified is Nordic American Tankers’ (NYSE: NAT) global operations and customer base?

Over the last five years, Nordic American Tankers’ ships have loaded or discharged in 68 countries. According to Nordic American Tankers, more than 50% of its business is with the world’s largest oil companies, and its experience with these major counterparties is described as excellent.

Does the Hormuz Strait situation materially affect Nordic American Tankers (NAT)?

Nordic American Tankers stated that the situation for the company is the same whether the Hormuz Strait is open or not. According to Nordic American Tankers, its business model and operations are positioned to handle differing Hormuz Strait conditions.

Does Nordic American Tankers (NYSE: NAT) currently trade its ships in the Red Sea?

Nordic American Tankers reported that it does not trade its ships in the Red Sea. According to Nordic American Tankers, recent operational comments focused on exposures in the Arabian Gulf and Black Sea, explicitly excluding the Red Sea from its trading areas.