North Asia

MBK Partners Actis and Bain Capital are among the bidders of KKR's Central Tank Terminal - a Japanese liquid storing company. The deal could be worth over $600,000,000 including debt. One of the sources said that binding bids must be submitted by August. Sources spoke under condition of anonymity as the matter is private. KKR Capital and Bain Capital declined comment. Actis stated that it does not comment on speculation about deals. MBK or Central Tank Terminal didn't immediately?response to a comment request. Central Tank Terminal stores and?handles liquid goods, including oil products, chemicals and other cargoes, near major Japanese...

According to documents and officials, Europe has taken more aggressive action against tankers that falsely use the Cameroon flag registry for transporting?Russian oil. This includes boarding vessels on sea. The EU has expanded its'mandate for Operation IRINI in the Mediterranean on June 8, allowing it to stop, board, detain and inspect suspected Russian "shadow fleet" ships. Moscow condemned the move. Russia has used these tankers to avoid sanctions, by sailing them under different flags to conceal their true ownership, cargo, and movements. Two European military sources claim that three tankers, the Nelsa and the Oneiroi, which were boarded by IRINI...

The prices of Caspian crude oil grades such as Kazakhstan's CPC Blend and Azerbaijan Azeri BTC are falling despite the growing pressure on European barrels, traders said. The difference between Caspian crude oil and Brent has weakened in line with the global trend. As Gulf oil supplies increase, physical cargoes in many regions are now at discounts to Brent. Iran is expected to boost sales after a temporary easing of U.S. sanction. On Wednesday, oil prices fell further, continuing the declines that began earlier in the week. They are now hovering at four-month lows as more tankers, which have been...

The grain freight rates in Ukraine are down despite the 'ongoing Russian attacks' on Black Sea ports, ASAP Agri said on Monday. They cited a seasonal decline in cargo flow. Last week, officials and industry executives told? Last week, industry executives and officials told? The Ukrainian Navy said Monday that a Russian drone?hit a Turkish dry cargo vessel, causing an extensive fire on board. Ukraine is a major grain exporter in the world, and its Black Sea port handles more than 90% of its exports. ASAP Agri stated that as Ukraine closes its 2025/26 summer-july export season, the historically low...

The Ukrainian economy ministry announced over the weekend that it would be increasing rail freight tariffs by 30% on August 1st to help stabilize the financial position of the state railway Ukrzaliznytsia. The war against Russia is now in its fifth and final year. Railways are still a crucial part of Ukraine's logistic network, transporting both passengers and freight. The government is under pressure to reduce its debt because of increased spending on infrastructure and security. Ukrzaliznytsia's CEO Oleksandr P. Pertsovskyi said?this month the firm had to increase their tariffs this year by at least 45% in order to help...

The Russian crude oil exports were higher than expected in early June as drone attacks on refineries released a large amount of extra volumes for shipping, according to trade sources and port sources. Russia planned to reduce its crude oil exports to cover fuel shortages and boost refinery runs in June, but was unable to do so because Ukraine intensified its drone campaign, which targeted major?facilities such as the TANECO complex and the Moscow refining facility. According to three sources who are familiar with port operations, the average daily loadings of Primorsk, Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk on the Black Sea and...

Two trade sources reported that freight rates for tanker shipments of Urals crude oil from Russia's western port 'to India' eased in June compared to last month due to seasonal factors, increased 'availability' of vessels and shippers' optimistic view of the opening of Strait of Hormuz. Two trade sources said that the United States and Iran reached a deal on a peace agreement, which would end the?war? in Iran and allow free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Sources said that the blockade caused a dramatic increase in freight rates around the world, including on the Russian oil shipping markets....

According to industry sources, Russia's seaborne product exports dropped by 0.2% daily in May compared to April. This equates to a drop of?8.016 millions metric tons. While the 'continued Ukrainian drone attacks on key ports and major refineries led to a sharp decline in oil product loadings at Russia's southern port, this was offset by an increase in fuel exports from Baltic terminals. Kyiv intensified its attacks on Russian energy installations in the last few months as peace talks to end Ukraine's conflict failed to progress. In May, drones targeted a number of Russia's largest refineries, including Lukoil's NORSI refinery...

Saudi Arabia and its neighbours in the Gulf will celebrate the eventual reopening of Strait of Hormuz. But the ensuing oil flood could erode OPEC’s fragile grip on the markets. The Iran War and the closing of the vital waterway, through which nearly one fifth of world oil and gas passed before the conflict, have dramatically reduced the output of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and shifted the industry's center of gravity away. Riyadh has limited options to counter these changes. The strait is not expected to reopen anytime soon, and it's unclear what the conditions will be. Iran...

The Ukrainian Ports Authority reported on Wednesday that two vessels flying the Panamanian and Barbadian flags had been damaged by an attack while they were moving along Ukraine's Black Sea navigation corridor. According to the authority's Telegram post, one vessel is headed towards the port of Odesa - a vital port for Ukrainian exports - with a cargo?of metal while the other was carrying grain and had already left the port. Both vessels were operating in the navigation corridor set up by Ukrainian authorities to allow ships travel from the 'Black Sea' to Romanian ports along the 'Danube River. Oleh...

Kyiv announced?on? Wednesday that Ukrainian forces had struck "several" key facilities in the Russian-occupied port of Mariupol. This attack has "significantly reduced" its ability to be a vital logistics hub for Moscow’s war effort. According to Ukraine's Drone Forces, the port had no power after strikes on its energy management and infrastructure. They said that they had "carried out" the operation in conjunction with the 1st Azov Corps, and the SBU security service. The statement said that the port had been 'used by the enemy for military logistic, as well illegal exports of Ukrainian grain and coal to Russia. "The...

UAC, Ukraine's biggest farmers' union, said that Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Black Sea ports had already caused "serious" damage to the export terminals and threatened a significant?reduction in shipments. This includes key agricultural exports. The hub of Odesa is the main port for exports of Ukraine, including iron ore. In recent months, Russia increased its attacks on port infrastructure. It has targeted?grain termini as well as storage and export facilities for sunflower oil. Ukraine's agricultural products are dominated by grain?and vegetable oils. "The situation in ports around Odesa has reached a critical level." UAC stated that systematic Russian shelling was...

The Kremlin stated on Friday that the European Union must consider Ukraine's suspected role in blowing up a Nord Stream gas pipeline in September 2022, when deciding whether or not to grant EU membership for Kyiv. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesman, was commenting on German federal prosecutors charging a former Ukrainian officer with being involved in the blasts. The man, identified only as Serhii, was accused of co-perpetrating a war crimes and acting for?Ukrainian government entities. The authorities in Kyiv stated on Thursday that they didn't have enough information about the case to be able to answer in detail the...

A Moscow car dealer is struggling to meet the 'demand' for new electric vehicles imported from China, as drivers try to avoid a fuel shortage that has caused long queues and skyrocketing prices in much of Russia. In recent weeks, the escalating Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure has caused gasoline and diesel to be restricted in many regions. According to calculations, retail gasoline prices have reached some of the highest levels ever recorded in Europe. The Russian EV market has been slowed by the harsh climate and distances in Russia. Some motorists are switching to EVs because of the...

In Moscow, a car dealership struggles to keep up with the demand for new electric vehicles. Drivers are looking to avoid a fuel crisis which has caused long queues and skyrocketing prices in much of Russia. In recent weeks, the escalating Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure has caused gasoline and diesel to be scarce. This has led to restrictions in many regions. According to calculations, retail gasoline prices have reached some of the highest levels ever seen in Europe. The vast distances between cities in Russia, the harsh climate and the limited charging infrastructure have all contributed to the...

Three?trade-and-industry sources? said on?Thursday that oil shipments from Russia’s western ports reached a record in 'June, and they are expected to continue at this level in 'July. This is because ongoing drone attacks against domestic refineries will force Moscow to increase crude exports. According to sources, exports from the Baltic port of Primorsk, Ust-Luga and the Black Sea Port of Novorossiysk amounted to nearly 3,000,000 barrels of oil per day in the month of June. The?sources stated that loadings will be close to 3,000,000 bpd in this month. They added that the capacity of the seaports limits the shipments and...

An industry source said that oil production has been restored at the Karachaganak gas field in Kazakhstan, amid increasing natural gas production and increasing supplies to the Russian gas plant just across the border. After the drone attack by Ukraine on Orenburg's gas processing plant on June 24, Kazakhstan cut?gas production? at its Karachaganak Oil and Gas Condensate Field. The oil and gas output of Karachaganak is closely related, so the field cannot produce much if its production of gas is low. In an emailed comment, the?ministry said that gas supplies had already resumed on?June 26 and were flowing at...

German Federal prosecutors announced on Thursday that a 'Ukrainian citizen linked to the Nord Stream Pipeline explosions was?charged as a 'complice of a war crime and disruption of public services. He also faces charges for causing an explosive to occur, and destroying buildings. Serhii, or K as the suspect, is known to German privacy laws, is suspected of acting for?Ukrainian government entities along with other military staff, in order to?destroy pipelines in the year 2022. Prosecutors alleged that the goal was to stop gas deliveries via pipelines permanently and to prevent Russia from using revenue from the natural gas trade...

German federal prosecutors 'have filed charges against a Ukrainian citizen over 'the Nord Stream pipeline explosions, ARD, Sueddeutsche... and Zeit,?German media outlets reported on Wednesday. Federal prosecutors declined comment. The explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipelines that carried Russian gas into Europe was a major flashpoint between Moscow and 'the West. It came just months after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. According to ARD, prosecutors accuse a Ukrainian national known as Serhii K - according to German privacy laws - of 'attacks on civil energy infrastructure, causing explosions and destroying structures. The suspect was detained in Italy's Rimini...

Alexei Likhachev, the CEO of Rosatom, said that fuel shortages had prompted a rise in demand for electric vehicles. He predicted that this would lead more drivers to choose battery-powered cars. Fuel restrictions have been imposed across the country due to intensifying Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure. Likhachev, a reporter, said: "We have already seen a significant rise in the use of our electric charging stations." He said that between June 21 and 28 the demand for Rosatom's?over 290 stations of charging rose by 40%. Likhachev said that although the current situation is unlikely to lead to an immediate...

Calculations showed that the average daily natural gas supply to Europe via the TurkStream pipeline fell by 3.7% compared to a year earlier to 36.2 million cubic meters in June. The only remaining transit route for Russian gas into Europe is through Turkey after Ukraine decided not to extend the five-year agreement with Moscow that expired in January 2025. According to calculations based on data from the European Gas Transmission Group Entsog, total Russian gas supplies via TurkStream to Europe were?1.09 billion cu?metres in June 2018, down from 1.13 Bcms in 2025. The half-year supply increased by around 5%, to...

Estonia released images of a Russian-flagged LNG carrier in the Baltic Sea this spring with machine guns and sandbags, indicating a more aggressive stance from Moscow to 'protect its civilian fleet. Surveillance images show machine gun positions fortified on the roof of the Marshal Vasilevskiy civilian vessel, which has its home port in Kaliningrad. Yoruk isik, a geopolitical expert who runs the Bosphorus Observer consulting, described it as "a crazy step" by civilian vessels operating in the Baltic. Isik said that "this is a hostile act by Russia" to send a signal to EU and NATO nations, saying it would...

Three 'trade sources' told us on Wednesday that the price differentials between Russia Urals crude delivered to India in August had?fallen to its lowest level since late February amid a plethora of?supply? and increasing competition. The discount for August Urals cargoes shipped to Indian ports under the DES system had widened from $4 to $7 per barrel compared to the benchmark Brent dated 10 days ago. The price of Russia's flagship grade in India is at its lowest level since the Iran war began, as Middle Eastern producers resume their shipments through the Strait of Hormuz after the interim peace...

Two trading sources reported that the Caspian Pipeline Consortium will 'export around 1.6 million barrels per day of CPC blend crude in July. This is down from the 1.7 million barrels per day planned for June, after drone damage caused a Russian gas plant to reduce production. The Russian Orenburg?gas plant normally receives gas from Kazakhstan's Karachaganak oil and gas condensate fields, which export?oil through the CPC pipeline. Karachaganak had to cut production after the Orenburg gas plant was attacked. Calculations show that daily?CPC blend oil?loadings are expected to decline by 6% from June in July. Karachaganak's production is now...