Which means that you now need 4 extra tankers to maintain the same flow of crude.

Who exactly is building ships these days. Korea, China, India?

The big three constructing countries are South Korea, Japan, China.

This post is a magnificent insight. Westexas has explained what the shipping people are calling, "The tanker spike that came out of the blue".

http://www.bimco.org/Members%20Area/News/General_News/2008/04/09_Feature...