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Vietnam Orders Airlines to Accelerate U.S. Deals as Washington Trade Probes Mount
Vietnam's major airlines have been ordered to examine the progress of multi-billion dollar agreements with Boeing and Pratt & Whitney and look at new import deals with American firms, as Hanoi tries to bolster its hand in a?trade negotiating with the United States. The directive was issued on June 5, and then reviewed on Tuesday by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This ministry is in charge of Vietnam's efforts to "demonstrate" to Washington the fact that the bilateral trade agreements are being implemented. The move follows three separate Trump Administration probes that targeted Hanoi over alleged trade distortions through?excessive capacity, intellectual-property violations, and using goods produced with forced labour. The document explains that the Ministry of Transport has asked flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and budget airline Vietjet to give details about the implementation and delivery of deals signed with U.S. Partners, as well as to suggest ways to increase imports. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet signed a joint agreement to buy 250 737 MAX aircraft. Sun Phu Quoc Airways is the aviation arm of Sun Group, and has separately contracted to buy 40 Boeing 787 Dreamliner wide body jets. According to the document, Vietjet has a contract for engines with Pratt & Whitney (part of RTX Group) for its Airbus planes. Vietnam's exports into the United States have soared. U.S. data shows that the U.S. trade gap with Vietnam was $54.8 billion during the first quarter of this year. This is higher than the deficits with China and Mexico. The Trump administration has said repeatedly that it wants to reduce the trade deficit.
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Fifth Qatari-controlled LNG tanker exits Hormuz strait
Ship-tracking data revealed that a fifth Qatari LNG tanker?transited the Strait of Hormuz carrying a cargo. This brings the total to nine?LNG vessels which have?exited this waterway with a cargo since the onset of the 'war. According to Kper and LSEG, the Al Daayen was controlled by QatarEnergy. It was spotted on ship-tracking data around June 4-5 off the coasts of Qatar. On Monday, it reappeared in ship-tracking data that showed the vessel east of the Strait and heading towards?China. According to Kper, the tanker reportedly loaded a cargo?on 1 June at Qatar's Ras Laffan Terminal. According to Vortexa, an analytics firm, a ballast LNG ship managed to return to the waterway after delivering a shipment to India. The tanker, which is managed by the Abu 'Dhabi National oil Company (ADNOC), had entered the Strait before to load cargo on Das Island between April 19th and May 23th. In a late Monday note, Vortexa said that satellite imagery in the UAE confirmed ADNOC’s Al Hamra carrier had been near the Das Island Terminal late last week after completing a?inbound transit of chokepoint. The vessel's last appearance on AIS (Automatic Identifier System) was on 30 May, before its?dark' inbound transit for a?reload – its second since April. QatarEnergy & ADNOC didn't immediately respond to comments outside normal business hours. The 'U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, which began on February -28, has severely restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. This is a major transit route that accounts for a 'fifth of world oil & LNG supply. ?Shipping traffic through this strait was averaging 125-140 daily passages before the war. Around 20,000 seafarers are still stranded in the Gulf on hundreds of vessels. (Reporting and editing by Edwina G. Gibbs; Reporting by Emily Chow)
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New Zealand's Capital City is hit by a storm, which cancels flights and ferries
On Tuesday, gale-force winds and rough waves battered New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington. This forced ferry and flight cancellations and road closures. Authorities urged hundreds along the?south coast of the city?to evacuate. An airport spokesperson confirmed by email that a light?aircraft was briefly blown over at Wellington Airport after a strong wind gust tipped it onto its wing. It said, "Nobody was hurt and it was quickly rectified." The 'New Zealand Herald' reported that the plane was just landing and the passengers had already disembarked when it tipped. At Wellington Airport, eight flights were canceled. Air New Zealand has informed passengers of the possibility that high winds may disrupt flights out of Wellington, and provided rebooking alternatives. The weather bureau has warned that waves of up to 29.5" (0.9 m) could be expected along Wellington's south shore. We are now in the forecast period of most significant swell effects. The Wellington City Council posted on Facebook that if you are still in the evacuation area and haven't left your home, it is best to "shelter-in-place". The ferry service between New Zealand’s North Island and?South Islands was cancelled on Tuesday. The weather bureau has forecast that waves will rise "rapidly" on Tuesday morning and early afternoon, along the east coasts in the North and South Islands as well as at the Chatham Islands. Island Bay resident Jonathan Delich, owner of Cook Strait Fishing Charters told the New Zealand Herald that he had cancelled all operations scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Delich stated, "We would not take you fishing even if it was your desire... today no one with a sane mind would be on the water." Reporting by Renju José in Sydney, Editing by Lincoln Feast
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The new US-Canada Bridge is nearing completion despite Trump's earlier threats
The new $4.7 billion bridge between Detroit and Windsor in Ontario is set to open within the next few weeks, according to a bridge authority on Monday. This comes despite President Donald Trump's threat to block its opening in February. Sources say a formal ribbon-cutting will take place later this week. Detroit media outlets reported that the Gordie-Howe International Bridge was expected to be open for traffic on June 15, according to reports. In February, Trump cited Canada's refusal to allow some U.S. alcohol products to be sold in Canadian stores, Canada's tariffs for dairy products, and Canada's trade talks with China as reasons why he may not permit the bridge to open. A spokesperson for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Canadian Embassy in Washington both declined to comment. The White House declined to comment immediately. A spokesperson from the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority stated that the project team is making good progress towards a June 21 opening, "which will serve as a vital link for economic development between the two nations." Canada financed the construction of the bridge that began in 2018 because the U.S. refused. Tolls will cover the costs over a period of 30 years. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated at a Senate Hearing last week that the department was "good-to-go" for staffing the Gordie Howe Bridge. The new bridge is expected to ease traffic for trucks on the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge, which leads into Detroit. Detroit is the largest?freight hub on the U.S. Canada border. Commercial trucks traded $126 billion worth of goods in 2023. According to a University of Windsor report, it will?save truckers $2.3 billion in 30 years by cutting 20 minutes from the crossing time. In his second term, Trump has issued a number of threats and dramatically increased tariffs against the U.S.' northern neighbor. In January, Trump said that he would impose 100% tariffs on Canada if they followed through with a trade agreement with China. Trump said in January that the U.S. will decertify some Bombardier planes, and threatened to impose 50% tariffs on imports of all aircraft manufactured in Canada until Ottawa certifies a number if planes made by U.S. competitor Gulfstream. Trump dropped his threat when Canada certified certain U.S. aircraft. (Reporting and editing by Sonali Paul; David Shepardson)
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S&P downgrades JetBlue deeper into junk as high fuel costs dent recovery
S&P, a global ratings agency, said that JetBlue Airways was downgraded to "CCC+" on Monday from "B-", pushing it further into junk status as high jet fuel prices?have hampered its recovery. The 'low-cost carrier' has been trying to restore its profitability by cost cutting, network changes, and improving operational reliability. However, higher fuel prices have complicated the turnaround plans. Low-cost and budget airlines are particularly vulnerable to fuel price spikes linked to the Iran War, as they have limited capacity to pass higher costs on to customers without risking their demand in a highly competitive travel market. S&P stated that "given the Middle -East conflict, and the material increase in oil and jet fuel costs, we expect JetBlue’s operating performance to be significantly impacted over the next 12 months." The strong demand environment will continue to support higher fares. However, we do not expect to generate positive free cash flows until 2028. We project leverage of about 10x at the end 2027. JetBlue could face higher borrowing costs if its junk rating is increased. It may also be unable to access capital markets, at a time that it needs additional liquidity to fund its operations. Fitch downgraded New York's?carrier from "B" to "CCC+", citing ongoing operating losses and negative cash flow. S&P maintained its outlook for JetBlue, expecting the airline to have enough liquidity to cover the?projected?free cash flow deficits until 2027. There are no near-term maturities, and no default or restructuring is expected in the next 12 months. JetBlue secured a $500-million debt financing commitment in support of up to 22 aircraft earlier this year. The company also has the option to raise $250-million more.
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Canada launches loan program for airlines to deal with high fuel costs
In a 'Monday statement, the Canadian finance ministry announced that a new loan programme would be launched to assist domestic airlines in dealing with high fuel costs and maintaining operations and jobs. The 'Iran war' has caused jet fuel prices to skyrocket, eroding profit margins and straining balance sheets. This pressure has led governments to extend support to domestic carriers in order to maintain affordable airfares and preserve competition. The Canadian government said that under the 'loan program', eligible airlines will receive up to C$150,000,000 ($107.5 Million) in repaid liquidity support. The government must also balance the need to protect the free market with its desire to preserve it. WestJet, the Canadian airline, opposed Ottawa's plan to offer loans to airlines. Instead of continuing with "costly and market-distorting subsides," WestJet urged the government to instead help build a future for Canada's aviation sector. WestJet, owned by Onex Corp, said that the United States has not bailed out any airlines, in order to maintain a level playing field. The Canadian government did not immediately respond to an inquiry about WestJet's comments. Air Canada, Canada's largest airline, said it had a "very strong balance sheet" that was built to prepare for events like the recent fuel price spike. It added, "we are able adapt and manage this particular situation." Last month, the U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that he didn't believe that the government should bail out low cost carriers who had requested $2.5 billion of relief. He encouraged the airlines to instead turn to the private market. In May, the jet fuel crisis claimed its first victim when U.S. Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines stopped operations.
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Senators want to investigate the US Transport chief's road trip, which was paid for by corporate donors
A group of six Democratic Senators demanded on Monday that the government 'investigate' U.S. Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy after he took a road trip to film a family vacation filmed for a web video series financed by corporate donors whose firms his department regulates. The Senators Patty Murray and Elizabeth Warren asked the DOT Office of Inspector General for a review of the video series. They said Duffy's actions raised "serious concerns about the use of funds and possible misconduct." Nate Sizemore is a Duffy spokesperson who called the "witch-hunt" an effort and claimed that career ethics officials had cleared Duffy of all aspects of his participation in the Great?American?Road trip. Sizemore said, "This is rich, coming from senators who accept millions in campaign donations from companies that they have jurisdiction over, to fund their private jets and steak dinners as well as fancy retreats." Senators pointed out that the trip had been funded by a non-profit organization that received substantial contributions from USDOT companies, such as Boeing, Toyota, United Airlines and Shell. The senators said, "We are concerned about this possible mix between personal activities and professional activities." They argued that, if the trip was for personal reasons, Duffy shouldn't have accepted gas, hotel accommodations, and other travel costs "from a not-for-profit funded directly by the companies the secretary regulates." Companies declined to comment on the matter or didn't respond immediately to comments. The trip, filmed over a period of 24 days, included a visit to Fenway Park, Boston, St. Louis, and Philadelphia, as well as sites in Montana and Philadelphia. USDOT hasn't?yet published the video series. Duffy, father of nine, former reality television star, and member of the?Congress said that neither he nor his family received any salary or royalties from the show. The road trip was a series of "short getaways" lasting one to two days over an eight-month span, and his children's spring break, which lasted nine days in April. The five-part series will be available on YouTube. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a?ethics?complaint suggesting that the situation could have violated federal gift rules. The group called for an investigation by the Office of Inspector General of the Transportation Department and pointed out that a Toyota car is prominently displayed in the promotional video of the series. (Reporting and editing by Mark Porter, Aurora Ellis, and David Shepardson)
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Underwater footage of a great white shark during the Mediterranean cleanup caught by the camera
Divers who were removing abandoned nets in the central Mediterranean, between Italy and North Africa have captured what they believe to be the first ever underwater footage of an adult great 'white shark?in the region. The sighting was made when a team, led by the Healthy Seas Foundation, recovered ghost nets from the wreckage of a ship in the Strait of Sicily - a biodiversity hotspot that has been heavily affected by industrial fishing. The video was taken last week and released on Monday. It shows a shark flanked by a dozen striped?pilot?fish. These fish often accompany large predators to pick up leftovers. Derk Remmers, a volunteer diver from Ghost Diving (one of the partners in the project), filmed and took photos of the shark. Remmers stated that an offshore underwater shark encounter is "insane" in a press release. A second member of the diving crew, Pascal van Erp said on Facebook that he believed the shark was attracted to the dead marine life caught in the abandoned nets, which included many sea turtles. The foundation said that although there were 'occasional sightings' of great whites, it is not known the size of their population. Previous encounters have also not been recorded by divers. Veronika Mikos, director of Healthy Seas, said: "Moments such as this remind us that there is still life in the Mediterranean's offshore waters. It is important to protect them from preventable threats such as abandoned fishing gear and overfishing." Researchers working with the mission stated that the sighting would help to improve our understanding of the distribution and behavior of this critically endangered species. However, further analysis is needed before we can draw any broader conclusions. (Reporting and editing by Alvise Armillini, with Crispian Balmer)
Special Report-Iran consolidates control of Hormuz through island checkpoints and diplomatic deals, as well as sometimes 'fees.'
The crew of the tanker gathered courage and navigated carefully along the route designated by Iran. They hugged the coast and manoeuvred their massive vessel between island checkpoints in the Strait of Hormuz.
Agios Fanourios 1, a 330 metre long vessel, loaded with Iraqi crude and bound for Vietnam had been bottle-?up near the coast of Dubai, since late April. On May 10, the tanker set out for the Strait of Hormuz after an agreement with Iran, overseen by Iraq’s Prime Minister. The Iranian orders to the tanker are part of the complex multi-tiered system that Iran has used for clearing vessels across the Strait of Hormuz. With Iran now in de ?facto control of the strait, the system can involve government-to-government arrangements, intense vetting by the Iranian government and sometimes fees in exchange for safe passage, has found. The ship's progress in Vietnam, Iraq and Greece was closely monitored by two people, who were interviewed by. The transponder would go dark periodically, but I was still able to sail on the Agios Fenourios. A projectile struck another ship nearby that day and caused a small fire.
The Agios Fanourios 1 icon was displayed on screens late May 10. According to an Iranian official, speedboats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stopped the tanker as it passed?Hormuz Island.
The IRGC soldiers who were initially letting the ship through the strait now order the ship to stop. The Iranian official stated that there was a suspicion of smuggled goods and they wanted to inspect the vessel.
The vessel was given Iranian permission to continue a few hours later. This turned what would normally be a five-hour journey through the Strait into a two day ordeal.
One of the people who was monitoring the trip said, "Once we heard that Agios had passed Hormuz we breathed a huge sigh,"
Eastern Mediterranean Shipping, the manager of the ship, and six other people who knew about the passage confirmed that no payments had been made.
Konstantinos Sakellaridis wrote that he had "reasons to believe" that Iranians were oblivious to the transit Agios Fanourios I due to pressure from Iraq and Vietnam.
The Iranian government has not responded to requests for comments about the new mechanism, or the voyage of the Agios fanourios I. Iran’s grip on Strait of Hormuz - the conduit for a fifth of global oil supply - has caused the world economy to be in turmoil. In order to reveal how Iran has been consolidating its control over the strategic chokepoint, we interviewed 20 people who had knowledge of this evolving mechanism. These included Asian and European shipping officials and Iranian and Iraqi official, as well as Iranian and Iraqi officials. We also reviewed Iranian documents relating to the vetting procedure and analysed the movements of ships. Together, these documents provide a rare glimpse into the Iranian scheme, in which the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps plays a key role.
The sensitive nature of the topic made all sources request anonymity. Some details about the Agios fanourios I's journey could not be independently confirmed, but they matched the accounts of multiple maritime officials who were involved in managing the same route and navigating it for cargo ships as well as tankers.
According to the U.S. Military, by early May, there were around 1,500 vessels in the Gulf with 22,500 sailors on board. This bottleneck is caused by Iran's ability, from the coast of the Gulf, to hit ships in the strait. The conflict has become the worst energy crisis in history, according to the head of the International Energy Agency. The U.S. Navy responded by imposing a blockade on Iranian ships and their cargo, with a cordon around the Strait.
A trickle of ships have made it through the waterway. According to an unpublished analysis from the U.S. company SynMax Intelligence, between April 18 and may 6, less than 60 ships passed through. In the days before the war, 120-140 ships would pass through the strait every day. About half were oil tankers.
U.S. laws prohibit American citizens from transacting with the Iranian government. Non-Americans who deal with Iranian entities may also be subject to "secondary sanctions". Many Western governments also maintain their own restrictions and sanctions relating to Iran. The U.S. Treasury Department released a statement May 1 warning about the risks associated with making payments to the Iranian regime or obtaining guarantees from them for safe passage.
The new Iranian mechanism includes a tiered system giving preference to ships linked to its allies Russia and China, followed by countries such as India and Pakistan with close ties to Tehran, and then government-to-government agreements that let vessels like the Agios Fanourios I pass, found.
The U.S. Department of Treasury responded to questions about the system by saying that it was prepared to take action against foreign companies supporting illicit Iranian trade.
It is not possible to determine independently how many ships have used this scheme. Iran said that ships connected to the United States and Israel, who launched aerial attacks against Iran in late-February, may not be allowed to cross the Strait.
Two European shipping sources said some vessels that aren't covered by government-to-government deals are paying Iranian authorities upwards of $150,000 to secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Two senior Iranian officials said that security and navigation fees are charged to ships, but the amount varies depending on the cargo. Two senior Iranian officials did not provide specific figures but said that "not all countries pay these fees."
Could not independently confirm whether the amount levied against vessels or the total amount flowing into Iranian coffers was accurate.
"THE NEW NORMS" Under international maritime law governments are not allowed to charge for the safe passage of a strait. As long as all ships are treated equally, fees can be charged for security or service. Secrets are kept about these payments and the names ship owners who paid Iranian authorities for their vessels to be retrieved, because such payments would violate U.S. sanctions against Iran's government. Could not determine the method of transfer or which Iranian entity received the money.
According to two maritime insurance specialists, in addition to being charged, violators will also lose their insurance coverage if they make payments to the IRGC that would benefit it, as?it is a terrorist organization internationally designated.
Danny Citrinowicz is a former Israeli Intelligence officer who specializes in Iran research and analyses.
Citrinowicz said that the Iranian regime's approval was required to open or close the Straits. He is currently working at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. "Some will pass through due to political alliances. Others will pay a fee, and others will be sent back. "This is the new normal."
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to Iran's findings regarding its new control system, called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and expressed concern about "future arrangements" for the strait.
The statement from the Ministry said that "such arrangements should comply with the law and practice of international law, and take into consideration the legitimate security concerns and demands of coastal states as well as the legitimate claims of regional countries and international community."
Checking for affiliation
According to three Iranian and one European source, outside of government agreements the process for securing Iranian permission to transit includes a detailed vetting by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's elite combat force. According to the sources, the IRGC examines a document called an affiliation that is provided by a ship operator or owner and submitted via an intermediary.
The European shipping source said that the affiliation check was to determine if there were any connections between the vessel and the U.S. The Guards review documents for about a week, and they may also want to inspect the ship during this time, according to the source.
According to documents sent by Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority to sources in the shipping industry, the IRGC requires shipowners to disclose information including the value and origin of the ship's cargo as well as the nationalities of its crew. In recent weeks, the authority was established to tax and approve vessel transits.
According to three senior Iranian officials, the vetting of ships is done by Iranian state institutions, including the Ports and Maritime Organization, Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, national shipping organization, and security overseer of Supreme National Security Council. Officials said that the IRGC which oversees Iranian security is also involved in evaluating the vessels.
The countries must also contact Iran's Foreign Minister to ask for permission. One of the officials stated that the minister then forwards them to the Supreme National Security Council which includes representatives of Mojtaba Khamenei and the IRGC.
The official added that "a decision is made and then communicated to all relevant bodies, including the IRGC," he said. The official added that the IRGC gives the necessary coordinates and instructions for safe passage.
According to two sources familiar with the deal, the Iraqi government and its state-owned oil marketer SOMO worked together to negotiate a deal with Iran for the Agios Fanourios I under the supervision then-Iraqi Premier Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
Three Iraqi officials from the oil ministry said that they had sent the Iranians the crew and manifest information for the Agios fanourios I before the passage.
The Iraqi government has not responded to a question about its arrangements with Iranian officials or details about Agios Fanourios.
Other countries have negotiated different agreements. India is one of them. It imports 90% of its oil and 50% of its natural gas. A large portion of this passes through Hormuz.
According to an official in the Indian shipping ministry, New Delhi uses its embassy at Tehran to communicate with Iranian authorities including the IRGC, the Iranian navy and other Iranian agencies. These entities vet the ships India wants to leave the Gulf.
"Once all is verified, the captain of the ship is given a course to follow and the ship leaves the area under the guidance of the Iran Navy. Officials said that captains were strictly instructed to adhere to the "given route". He added that ships are instructed to turn off location transponders, and to not use satellite communication.
An Indian source familiar with the process said that after Iran gives permission, the Indian Navy contacts the shipmasters of Indian flagged vessels in the Gulf directly and provides them with waypoints.
The Indian navy told us, too, that you should stop if they ask you to. The source stated that "if they tell you to move you should move," and we have been following these instructions.
India's Shipping Ministry announced on May 14 that 13 Indian flagged vessels had cleared the Strait of Hormuz while another 13 remain west of the waterway.
India, Russia Pakistan and Vietnam didn't respond to our requests for comments about Iran's control of the Strait.
FRAUGHT?
According to three Iranians and two sources from the shipping industry, clearing multiple Iranian waypoints is a common requirement for many ships as they leave the Gulf of Aden and enter the Strait of Hormuz. These are often manned by armed personnel.
The Agios fanourios I passed through the Iranian military checkpoints in Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Larak. These coordinates were verified using the publicly available location data of the ship and other sources that knew about similar journeys.
According to an Iranian official who was familiar with that incident, when the vessel approached Hormuz Island at the mouth of the strait it was briefly halted by the IRGC speedboats. He claimed that there was some information on possible smuggled goods aboard.
He said that the information was incorrect. After a short period of confusion, the Agios fanourios I resumed its journey.
The Indian shipping industry source stated that a similar chaotic communication was likely the cause of an attack on two Indian flagged ships trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz in the last month. Indian sailors trapped in the Gulf are scared by these incidents.
The Indian shipping source said that these ships do not have any armor or other protection. "The bullets penetrate through." He added that the only targets for shooters are the crew quarters. "They cannot shoot at the tanks, because they are carrying flammable liquids."
A bulk carrier sailed by an Indian sailor through the Strait of Hormuz. The ship waited for permission from the IRGC before it left the Gulf. The Iranian navy then established contact and instructed the ship to proceed towards Larak Island. The naval officials then ordered the captain of the ship to reveal the details about the ship and display its flag. They began talking with the shipping company. The Iranians asked repeatedly about the crew's nationality.
He said that "after a few hours, the IRGC gave the captain a route." The ship, escorted by smaller Iranian navy vessels, was instructed to steer with caution for fear of mines. He said, "It was an incredibly frightening sight." "I cannot even imagine in my wildest fantasies going to sea during a conflict."
Even if vessels make it to the other side of the Strait of Hormuz the ordeal may not be over. The Agio Fanourios 1 was caught in the U.S. Navy blockade a day after leaving Iranian waters. The tanker was tethered to a triangle for six days as the American military processed its paperwork.
"U.S. "U.S. forces ordered the Malta-flagged ship to turn around in order to enforce the ongoing blockade," Capt. Tim Hawkins is the spokesperson for U.S. Central Command.
Sakellaridis said that Vietnam had pressured the United States into letting the ship through. He said there was no reason to stop it in the first place because "the vessel and cargo did not have any Iranian involvement."
It is not possible to determine how many ships the Americans have stopped since the blockade began on April 13th. The Agio Fanourios I, which was seized on April 13, was released without explanation on May 16. The ship is loaded with 2,000,000 barrels of crude oil and will be heading to Vietnam. Reporting by Devjyot Sharma in New Delhi, Gavin Finch, Gavin Finch, Gavin Rasheed, Parisa Hafezi, Ahmed Rasheed, in Baghdad. Florence Tan, Jonathan Saul and Nerijus Adomatis contributed additional reporting. Rene Maltezou, Sunil Kataria, Sunil Adomaitis and Florence Tan also provided editing. Lori Hinnant edited the article.
(source: Reuters)