Latest News
-
Russian strikes knockout power in Ukraine
The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported on Wednesday that Russia had struck Ukraine's power infrastructure overnight with drones, cutting off electricity in several areas, including the central Dnipropetrovsk area. Ukrenergo, the operator of Ukraine's power grid, said that electricity supplies were restricted in seven areas. The majority of these regions are in eastern Ukraine. Naftogaz, the state-owned gas company, said that a thermal plant was hit without naming it. In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its attacks against the Ukrainian energy infrastructure. This includes both gas and power plants. Naftogaz reported that the Russians attacked gas installations three times in the last seven days. These included "critically-important facilities" located in Kharkiv and Sumy regions, as well as Chernihiv. Svitlana Svitnychuk, the Ukrainian energy minister, said in a statement earlier this month that Ukraine Want to Increase After Russian airstrikes against its gas infrastructure, it has increased its gas imports 30%. Reporting by Pavel Polityuk Editing Peter Graff
-
Hungary criticizes EU energy policy in Moscow
Budapest's Foreign Minister said that Hungary would suffer from being cut off from Russian Energy during a trip to Moscow on Tuesday. He reiterated the fact that Hungary will not be influenced by outside forces when making decisions about its energy supply. Peter Szijjarto attended the Russian Energy Week Forum as NATO Defence Ministers met in Brussels for a discussion on military aid to Ukraine. This highlighted Budapest's differences from most other alliance members when it comes dealing with Moscow. Hungary's continued reliance on Russian Energy since Moscow invaded Ukraine has prompted criticism from several European Union allies and NATO members. Szijjarto said to reporters in Moscow that Budapest's national interests were paramount when it comes to energy supply. "We never felt let down by Russia." Deliveries have always been made... Contracts are always honored. "My question is why we should end this relationship", Szijjarto replied. Hungary has rejected plans by the European Commission that would phase out all EU imports of Russian gas, including liquefied gas, by 2027. This deepens a rift between Brussels and Moscow over the relationship with Moscow. Hungary has signed a 15 year deal with Russia in 2021 to purchase 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas per annum. Last year, Hungary increased its purchases from Gazprom, importing 7.5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas through the Turkstream pipeline. Moreover, the country imports a large amount of crude oil from Russia through the Druzhba Pipeline that runs through Belarus, Ukraine and Hungary to Slovakia. JANAF, a Croatian pipeline operator, also transports crude to MOL's Hungarian refineries. Szijjarto stated that "Brussels wants to cut one (pipeline) under the concept of diversification." How can you think that having two pipelines is safer than one? "This is insane," said he. Last month, U.S. president Donald Trump announced that he would ask Hungary to stop purchasing Russian oil. This was part of an effort to pressurize NATO allies into cutting energy ties to Moscow due to its war in Ukraine. Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban has said that Hungary's economy would suffer if it stopped using Russian energy. (Reporting and writing by Olesya Almakhova and Vladimir Soldatkin, Writing and editing by Lucy Papachristou, Anita Komuves and Andrew Osborn)
-
Local police report that 10 people were killed when an oil tanker in Indonesia caught fire.
According to local police, at least 10 people died and 18 were injured when an oil tanker caught on fire in Indonesia's Riau Islands Province early Wednesday morning as it was being fixed. Zaenal Arifin, chief of the local police, said that a fire broke out at a shipyard located in Batam at 4 a.m. (2100 GMT) on Tuesday. Batam is about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles), or by sea, away from Singapore. Arifin stated that MT Federal II caught fire while docked for repairs. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and the ship did not carry oil. Arifin reported that as of Wednesday afternoon, 10 victims had died, and 18 more were being treated in hospital. All the victims were working on the vessel to repair it. Arifin stated that "some of them were severely injured". He said that he did not know who owned the boat. In Batam, an ill-fated vessel caught fire while being repaired in June. Four people were killed and nine injured. Local police in that case have identified two suspects who they believe violated safety standards. (Reporting and editing by Thomas Derpinghaus; Ananda Teresia).
-
Royal Mail fined $28 Million by UK regulator for failing to meet delivery targets
The UK's telecom and Media regulator fined Royal Mail on Wednesday 21 million pounds ($28,1 million), the largest penalty it has ever imposed on a post and parcel group for failing to meet delivery targets in 2024-25. Royal Mail has tried to modernize its operations in order to increase volumes. Ofcom has also revised some of their targets to avoid delays. Since at least 2007, the group has failed to meet its delivery targets. Ofcom has fined the company 5.6 million pounds in 2022-23, and 10.5 millions pounds in 2023-24. This is their third annual penalty. Royal Mail was not penalized by the regulator during the COVID-19 epidemic. Ofcom warned on Wednesday that Royal Mail will continue to levy the charges unless they improve. In a statement issued by Ofcom's director of enforcement, Ian Strawhorne said that "millions of important letters" are being delivered late and the people are not getting what they paid for when buying a stamp. He added that these failures are "unacceptable". Royal Mail issued a statement acknowledging the decision of the regulator and stating that the changes made to the "Universal Service Model" as part of a pilot program have had positive results. Royal Mail was owned by International Distribution Services. This company became private following its acquisition by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky.
-
The diverting of tankers from a Chinese terminal sanctioned may cause congestion in other ports
According to trading sources, at least five crude oil tankers have been diverted from a major eastern Chinese port after the U.S. imposed a ban on an import terminal on Friday. U.S. sanctions disrupted plans by the country's refining companies to unload cargoes in the port of Lanshan, the hub for refinery activity in Shandong Province. The diverting of the ships could also lead to congestion in alternative ports. This is especially true at Zhoushan located further south, off the coast Zhejiang Province, where multiple ships have been redirected. The U.S. sanctioned the Rizhao-Shihua Crude oil Terminal in Lanshan on Thursday for receiving Iranian crude oil aboard sanctioned vessels. Sinopec Kantons Holding is a subsidiary of Sinopec and also known as China Petroleum and Chemical. According to analysts and industry executives, one-fifth (or a fifth) of Sinopec’s crude oil imports passes through the Rizhao Schihua Terminal. Chinese refiners responded by moving their ships away. Unipec is the trading arm for Sinopec Asia's biggest refiner. Over the weekend, it diverted its Very Large Crude Carrier New Vista to Ningbo or Zhoushan where they are currently waiting to unload their cargo. Unipec diverted a VLCC carrying 2,000,000 barrels of Omani oil to Zhoushan for an arrival date on October 21. Data from LSEG & Kpler confirmed this. Zhoushan, an archipelago located south of Shanghai, is linked to Sinopec’s eastern Chinese refineries by pipelines. LSEG data revealed that two more vessels, the VLCC Spherical, and the Suezmax Fulger which can transport up to one million barrels oil, will also be heading to Zhoushan. A shipping source stated that it's not clear if the Spherical will discharge its 2 million barrels Brazilian crude at Zhoushan, as they are still waiting for orders. Data showed that the Fulger, which is carrying approximately 1 million barrels Egyptian Arco crude oil, will discharge at Zhoushan, on October 19. The charterers of the Spherical & Fulger were not immediately known. LSEG data revealed that the VLCC Habshan chartered by CSSA - the shipping arm for French energy giant TotalEnergies - has changed its destination from Rizhao to Tianjin. It is expected to arrive on October 26. Data from LSEG & Kpler shows that the VLCC carries about 2,000,000 barrels of Congolese Djeno Crude. Sinopec’s largest subsidiary refinery, Tianjin Petrochemical, is located in Tianjin. Sinopec also operates an oil reserve from this city. TotalEnergies and Sinopec didn't immediately respond to comments. Sinopec Kantons stated on Monday that they expect their business to be affected by the sanctions.
-
California Judge blocks efforts to restart Santa Ynez Oil Pipeline
A California judge on Monday sided with state government, and tentatively ruled in favor of the state against Houston-based Sable Offshore’s request to restart a crude oil pipeline that draws crude oil from the Santa Ynez off-shore oil project. The tentative decision of Judge Thomas Anderle at the Superior Court for Santa Barbara County is a major setback for Sable whose entire business revolves around the Santa Ynez Project. In extended trading, its shares dropped over 20% to $14 per share. In May, the company restarted production at one of three offshore platforms that are part of this project. It had been shut down for a decade due to an oil leak under Exxon Mobil's previous ownership. Sable also repaired a subsea pipe that takes crude oil from an offshore platform. It hoped to sell the oil in California, but the California Coastal Commission refused its restart citing problems with Sable’s permits. Sable filed a petition with the Santa Barbara Superior Court, arguing that the Coastal Commission lacked the authority to issue a cease and desist. Anderle's tentative ruling stated that the company had not met its burden of proving the commission abused its discretion. Anderle will conduct an hearing on Wednesday, before making a final decision. Sable will also likely change its marketing strategies for crude oil produced on the Santa Ynez platform. Last week, the company said that delays in the re-start of the Las Flores system would force it to switch to tankers for the transportation of crude oil from Santa Ynez. Sable said that it has asked the federal government to support the tanker route and submitted last week an updated Santa Ynez development and production plan detailing this route to the U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Shariq Khan, New York; Chris Reese, editing.
-
Spirit Airlines targets a net profit of $220 million in 2027
Spirit Airlines announced on Tuesday that it would fully implement its transformation by the end 2027. By then, the bankrupt airline expects to generate about $220 millions in net profit. In a regulatory filing the discount airline estimated that its adjusted operating losses in 2025 would be $819 million. After filing for bankruptcy a second consecutive time in August, the ultra-low cost carrier has cut its network and fleet size, and is planning to lay off pilots and flight attendants in order to get on a more solid financial footing. Spirit Airlines said that its EBITDAR, a measure for operating performance, is estimated to reach $900 million at the end of 2027. Two furloughs are expected to save the carrier $211 million, of which one has already taken place. Spirit stated that fleet reductions would result in an estimated $400 million in annualized rent savings and a decrease in lease liabilities of over $3 billion. Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh in New York and Doyinsola Oladipo; editing by Chris Reese, Deepa Babington
-
Next week, the US Senate Committee will vote on legislation relating to aviation safety.
The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee will vote on aviation safety legislation on October 21, following a deadly January crash between a regional American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter at Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people. The Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz, along with several other senators, are set to introduce legislation that will require military helicopters flying near civilian aircraft to use ADS-B technology for tracking, and all civilian aircraft to use ADS-B. At the time of the collision in January, the helicopter that was involved did not use ADS-B. First reported the planned vote next week that will mark the first major step toward aviation safety reforms following the U.S. plane accident which killed more than 200 people. Cruz, a Republican senator, has been working with Maria Cantwell, a Democrat, to try and reach a bipartisan agreement before the hearing on legislation relating to aviation safety. Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary and members of both parties in Congress, has questioned the Federal Aviation Administration's failure to take action for many years regarding close calls with military helicopters near Reagan. Cruz's bill, dubbed ROTOR Act, would also require that the Army Inspector General's Office initiate a safety audit after declining to do so. Cantwell, along with other Democratic Senators, proposed legislation in June requiring an audit of helicopter operations and passenger operations on major airports. The bill also mandated new FAA safety assessments after fatal passenger airline crashes and required ADS-B usage. Cruz's spokesperson said that he had been working with the families of those who were injured in the accident and was committed to making sure this kind of accident never happens again. The spokesperson said that the bill "requires all aircraft, both military and civil, to use ADS-B out and ADSB in and seeks accountability for the Army failures which may have contributed to this crash." In April, the FAA announced that government helicopters would be required to use ADS-B near Reagan National. And in May, the Army was barred from flying helicopters around the Pentagon following a close call. The FAA changed helicopter routes earlier this month at the Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport in order to "add additional buffer between aircraft" and "increase the separation between helicopters flying into and out from each airport." (Reporting and editing by Nia William and Aurora Ellis; Reporting by David Shepardson)
Airbus, Rolls to inform airline companies as pressure for A350 checks eases, sources state
Airline companies will likely be told there is no immediate need for international look at the Jet A3501000, ending days of unpredictability after an engine emergency situation prompted Cathay Pacific to examine its fleet, two individuals acquainted with the matter said.
Some carriers consisting of Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines had actually been conducting precautionary checks of their entire A350 fleets after Cathay Pacific said it had discovered 15 of its 48 A350 jets required repair work to fuel lines.
Barring last-minute changes as private investigators take a look at parts from a Cathay Pacific A350 that went back to base on Monday, Airplane and engine maker Rolls-Royce are anticipated to transfer to ease larger security issues in their first rundowns to carriers on Thursday, the people said.
Airbus decreased comment and referred queries to Hong Kong private investigators, who could not be reached. Rolls-Royce and Cathay Pacific did not instantly respond to requests for remark.
Although the position suggests the incident is significantly being viewed as isolated, it is prematurely to rule out further findings or analysis that may ultimately need action by other airlines, the people stated, asking not to be determined.
A decision rests with regulators. It was not right away clear whether the European Union Aviation Safety Firm (EASA) had formally backed a choice to avoid recommending fleet action, which can trigger delays and downtime.
We have no more comment at this phase as we are still finishing our evaluation, an EASA spokesperson said.
The A350-1000, the bigger of 2 models in the Airplane A350 household, and its Rolls-Royce XWB-97 engines have actually been under the spotlight since a Zurich-bound jet was forced to return to Hong Kong after an engine problem, later traced to a fuel leak.
Initial examinations have actually exposed that a flexible pipe feeding a fuel injection nozzle in the XWB-97 engine was pierced, individuals stated.
Hong Kong private investigators are now anticipated to focus on whether that hole was the origin of the fuel leak or was itself triggered by a different issue, yet to be determined, they included.
Hong Kong's Air Accident Investigation Authority did not instantly respond to a request for remark.
Cathay Pacific said previously it would return all Airbus A350s, consisting of the smaller sized A350-900 variation, to operation by Saturday following examinations and fuel line repairs on 15 jets, having actually cancelled dozens of flights to examine the airplanes.
It did not state what criteria it had actually used to choose whether the lines should be changed nor whether the modifications had been authorized by Rolls-Royce, which normally oversees maintenance under long-lasting engine service contracts. Neither business reacted to an ask for comment on the repair work.
So far no other airline company has actually reported damage to fuel lines. Some have carried out voluntary checks because the incident while others have stated they are awaiting clarity from Rolls-Royce.
(source: Reuters)