Middle East

Shipping data revealed that the number of tankers traversing the Strait of Hormuz dropped to its lowest level in two months in the last day, after renewed strikes between Iran and the U.S.?and attacks against vessels raised safety concerns. Shipping industry sources say that vessels are increasingly turning off their public AIS?transponders. This makes it difficult to count the total number of ships on the waterway. According to Kpler's analysis, based on the data available, oil and gas tanker traffic has fallen to its lowest levels since May 25. In a recent report, ship broker Gibson stated that the world...

Ship-tracking data revealed that at least four oil and gas tanks had turned back after attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz. This was due to renewed attacks on vessels in this critical waterway, which raised safety and security concerns. The?diversions' come after two tankers, a Qatari LNG tanker and one Saudi crude oil tanker, were damaged on Tuesday near the strait following reports that Iran had fired missiles into the waterway. This prompted maritime authorities to increase the threat level for transiting vessels from "moderate" to "severe." Data from analytics firms Kpler & LSEG revealed that the LNG tankers...

Ship-tracking data showed that at least four oil and gasoline tankers had turned back from trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. This was due to renewed attacks against vessels in this critical waterway, which raised safety & security concerns. After reports of Iran firing missiles on ships in the waterway and damaging a Qatari LNG tanker, as well as a Saudi crude oil tanker, the maritime authorities raised the threat level for transiting vessels from "moderate" to "severe." Data from Kpler and LSEG showed that the three LNG tankers – Al Ghariya Duhail Al Ruwais – were all heading...

Iran has started talks with Japanese firms under a U.S. sanction waiver that allows?it resume oil sales. However, prospective buyers are?seeking longer waivers and reassurances regarding ship safety. The waiver was part of the 60-day talks between Washington and Tehran, and it expires on August 21. Two Iranian sources declined to identify themselves due to the sensitive nature of the matter. They said that three Japanese buyers are considering possible crude oil purchases in Iran. This would be their first purchase since 2019. A Western industry source with knowledge of the situation said that Japanese and Iranian officials were initially...

A top U.N. official announced on Friday that the United Nations was working with countries to resume the evacuating of hundreds of vessels and thousands of stranded seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz, after this effort had been halted earlier in the week. The U.N. International Maritime Organization announced on Thursday that it had "temporarily paused' its evacuation initiative following the attack on a container vessel operated by Taiwan-based Evergreen. IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez said that 115 ships and around 2,500 seafarers were able to navigate through the strait, before evacuations ceased. Dominguez stated that he is working "vigilantly",...

Ship tracking data revealed that fewer vessels traversed the Strait of Hormuz Friday than they did earlier in the week. This was hours after an Iranian-operated vessel fired on a Taiwanese ship. U.N.'shipping 'agency temporarily suspended its voluntary scheme for evacuating hundreds of stranded vessels and thousands of seafarers out of the Gulf, after the ship was damaged by the attack near the Omani side. Nevertheless, data from LSEG's and MarineTraffic's ship tracking showed that at least four oil tankers, including three very large crude carrier ships, each of which can carry a maximum 2 million barrels, had entered the...

A spokesperson for the U.N. shipping agency said that ships have already passed through 'the Strait of Hormuz' under a newly-launched evacuation scheme. A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a U.N. agency, said that "ships have already started to pass under the plan." He declined to give any 'details' on the ships that had passed. LSEG's ship tracking data revealed on Wednesday that two dry -bulk ships, and one cargo -ship, have sailed through Hormuz in the past 12 hours. According to LSEG & MarineTraffic'ship tracking data' based on an analysis of ship movement, at least 35 commercial...

Shipping data and sources indicate that oil tanker operators have made record profits this week after almost doubling the cost of hiring vessels to travel through the Strait of Hormuz or the wider Gulf region. This is due to the increasing demand for the waterway as it slowly begins to pick up. The strait's traffic has been relatively low since Iran lifted the effective blockade after agreeing on a 60-day truce with the U.S. last week. Meanwhile, talks are continuing to reach a permanent agreement to end the war. The number of vessels passing through Hormuz has dropped to a...

Shipping data revealed that four liquefied?gas tanks controlled by Qatar headed into the Strait of Hormuz despite a drop in?ship traffic following Iran's announcement over the weekend that the waterway had been closed again. Shiptracking data by analytics firm Kpler revealed that the tankers - Wadi Al Sadd, Mekaines Al Sadd, and Mesaimeer – entered the strait via Iran for the first since the U.S./Israeli war against Iran began. QatarEnergy's LNG exports, which have been severely curtailed since the beginning of the war on February 28, didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. LSEG data shows that the dry...

The United States and Iran signed a ceasefire agreement on Friday, and Gulf producers are preparing to increase exports in spite of concerns about the conditions set by Tehran. Washington and Tehran have released the text for an interim agreement that was signed on Wednesday, to end the conflict. Donald Trump has warned that he will resume his attacks and "target Iranian officials" if the commitments made are not kept. MarineTraffic reports that at least four tankers with crude oil, oil products, and liquefied gas headed for Iraqi Gulf port entered the strait Friday. After being delayed by war, a...

Iran is also preparing to resume its exports and trade. This comes as U.S. president Donald Trump recently welcomed the return of oil from Gulf allies. Shipping data shows that at least three tankers, each carrying?some 5 million barrels of Iranian crude oil, have passed through the U.S. Naval Blockade in the past week. This is despite the U.S. Military saying it will continue its operations to block Iran-linked ships until Friday. The oil market is focused on the deal that Trump announced on 14 June and which will be signed in Switzerland on Friday. Trump posted on Sunday,?Sunday, that...

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command announced on Friday that U.S. forces had seized the stateless sanctioned oil tanker Davina in the Indian Ocean overnight. Washington has placed a sea blockade against Iran, while Tehran has fired at ships to stop them from?sailing? through the Strait of Hormuz and entering the Middle East Gulf. In recent months, U.S. forces intercepted "multiple commercial and petroleum tankers" in the Indian Ocean. Indo-Pacific Command posted on X that "we will continue to enforce global maritime law to?disrupt illegal networks and 'interdict vessels providing materials support to Iran wherever they operate". According to data from ship...

Three sources with knowledge of the matter said that Egypt was in talks with Shell, TotalEnergies, and BP to buy 15-18 cargoes per month of liquefied gas for a minimum period three years. The talks take place as Egypt struggles to meet the rising demand for LNG and global LNG markets are tight due to the Iran conflict. This has led to a reduction in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and an increase in competition among buyers. Two sources confirmed that talks were ongoing with Shell, TotalEnergies and BP, as well as commodities traders Hartree Partners. A third source...

Three sources with knowledge of the matter said that Egypt has been in discussions?with energy giants such as Shell, TotalEnergies, and BP - to buy 15-18 cargoes per month of 'liquefied 'natural gas for at least three year. The talks take place as Egypt struggles to meet the rising demand for domestic LNG and global LNG markets are tight due to the Iran conflict. This has led to a reduction in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and increased competition between buyers to secure supplies. Two sources confirmed that talks were?ongoing' with Shell, TotalEnergies and BP, as well as commodities...

According to a Moroccan-Nigerian statement, member states of the Economic Community of West African States signed an intergovernmental agreement in 'Freetown on Sunday backing the 'Nigeria - Morocco Atlantic gas pipeline. According to a joint?statement?by Morocco’s hydrocarbons & mining agency ONHYM & Nigeria’s state oil firm NNPC, the pipeline will transport up to 30 billion cube metres (bcms) of natural gases a year through 13?West African nations to Morocco. The statement stated that 15 bcm of that capacity will be?available for Moroccan and European markets via an?existing pipe that links 'Morocco with Spain. The pipeline was agreed upon a decade...

Kuwaiti authorities reported?on?Friday that an Iranian attack?hit one of Kuwait's power generating and?water -desalination stations, causing a fire, damage, and the interruption of a number of electricity generation units. The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy reported that firefighters brought the fire under control, while technical teams assessed the damage, secured the station and worked to restore service as quickly as possible for the affected electricity generation units. Iran claimed to have launched a new attack on U.S. military facilities in the Middle East on Friday. This included 'the first direct attack on Syria, following a sixth night of...

China imported 11.5 million barrels per day on average in the past five years. Since April, the average has been just 8 million barrels per day. China's rapid slashing of imports - shipments dropped to 40% below pre-Iran War levels in June - has helped keep a lid on global prices, and has freed up cargoes that could be used by other countries. Market observers want to know if the decline in demand will last. Michal Meidan is the head of China Energy Research for the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. "There is a huge level of uncertainty, because we...

Three sources have confirmed that Saudi Arabia's ROSHN group is looking for investors to help finance its Aramco stadium, which will host the FIFA World Cup in 2034. The state-backed developer wants to free up capital so it can deliver projects as part of the kingdom's economic transformation strategy. Saudi Arabia is relying more on outside capital as it tries to reduce its dependence on oil and gas revenues. Two sources who declined to be identified because the matter was not public said that JPMorgan had hired ROSHN to manage the equity raising process. According to a third source, PIF...

Three sources have confirmed that Saudi Arabia's ROSHN group is looking for investors to help finance its Aramco Stadium which will host the FIFA World Cup in 2034. The state-backed developer wants to 'free up capital' so it can deliver projects as part of the Kingdom's economic transformation plan. Saudi Arabia is increasingly relying on outside capital for funding projects in tourism, sports, and logistics to reduce the economy's dependence on oil and gas revenues. Two sources who declined to be identified because the matter was not public said that JPMorgan had hired ROSHN to manage the equity raising process....

A State Department official stated on Tuesday that the United States is supporting Iraq and Syria in their efforts to revive an oil pipeline between the two countries. This could reduce Iran's ability to block oil through Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. is expecting American companies to be involved in the construction of the Kirkuk-Baniyas Pipeline, which has been largely out-of-service since it was damaged during the 2003 U.S. led invasion?of Iraq. The pipeline will run from the Iraqi oilfields in Kirkuk all the way to 'Syria’s western coast. This is just one of several attempts by oil producers to...

Data and industry sources indicate that daily crude loadings in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Port of Yanbu are close to their maximum levels as tensions with Yemen's Houthi militants intensify. The kingdom also seeks to maximize oil exports. Since the U.S. - Israel conflict with Iran began February 28, Saudi?Aramco has increased its use of the Yanbu Terminal. Sources have said that Saudi Arabia also considers expanding its capacity of the oil pipeline to the western Red Sea Coast, which would enable the kingdom and?possibly?neighbours to transport more crude oil without having to cross the Strait of Hormuz. Aramco didn't...

Drones are cheap, mass-produced and have revolutionized modern warfare. They expose critical energy infrastructures as the Achilles heel of modern economies. Unmanned aircraft are able to evade air defences on the battlefields in Ukraine, Russia, and the Middle East. This makes oil refineries and power stations as well as export terminals and pipelines prime targets. The energy industry is affected by the implications. Swarms of drones, which cost a few hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars each, can threaten facilities that have taken decades and billions to build. This will dramatically shift the balance of power between attackers and...

The lawyer for the three Thai sailors said that the?Labour Court of Thailand accepted on Friday a 'petition by the Thai sailors seeking damages after a fatal attack on their cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran in March. The petition seen by seeks at least one million baht ($30,000), per sailor, from companies and agencies connected to Precious shipping, the vessel's owner, and its captain. Kunpat Singhathong, their lawyer, told reporters that the sailors had accused?their employer of taking them to dangerous areas and putting their lives in danger. They also...

The lawyer for the three Thai sailors said that the Labour Court of Thailand accepted their petition on Friday, seeking damages following a deadly attack on their cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran in March. The petition seen by seeks at least one million baht ($30,000), per sailor, from companies and agencies connected to Precious shipping, the vessel's owner, and its captain. Kunpat 'Singhathong, their lawyer, told reporters that the sailors had accused their employers taking them to dangerous areas and putting their life at risk. They also claimed their employers...