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Sources say that the Sheskharis terminal in Russia's Black Sea halted loadings following a drone attack.
Three sources familiar with the matter confirmed that the suspension of crude oil exports was due to a drone attack on Friday. This added to the disruptions at one of the country's main export outlets. Sheskharis, Russia's largest oil export facility in the Black Sea, handles approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The shutdown of the Sheskharis terminal adds pressure to Russia's energy infrastructure, which has been repeatedly attacked in recent months. On Friday, the administration of Novorossiysk sent out a new drone alert to residents. This indicates that there is a continuing threat in the port area. A source said that a tanker, which was scheduled to load crude oil at the port, left early Friday morning for the 'open sea' after a drone attempted attack on the terminal. The source said that as a result, the port stopped receiving crude oil at the terminal and suspended loading of crude because the storage tanks were full. Sources could not be identified due to?the sensitive nature of the issue. The disruption comes after a period in which export volumes were high. According to a source familiar with export data, crude loadings from Novorossiysk were close to 1,000,000 bpd by July, and about 800,000 bpd by June. Novorossiysk exports?Russian Urals crude oil, Kazakhstan's KEBCO mixture and?Siberian Light Oil. The suspension comes after a series disruptions in oil exports out of Russia's Black Sea coast. Last month, Ukrainian drone attacks temporarily stopped loadings at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal near Novorossiysk. This reduced exports of CPC Blend and affected supplies to major customers, including Turkey.
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Boeing's Wisk Sale is unlikely to spark another divestment Round
Analysts said that Boeing's announcement that it was selling Wisk 'Aero this week is less of a sign 'of a wider breakup' than an attempt to "shed" a struggling non-core business which had become a distraction for the aerospace giant's efforts to turn around. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg had previously stated that he planned to sell non-essential components of the company, including its subsidiaries, in order to stabilize the balance sheet and focus more on its core business -- commercial aviation, defense and space. Since 2024 when the portfolio review was completed, only two major sales have taken place: Jeppesen, a digital aviation services provider, for $10,6 billion in 2025, and Monday's purchase of Wisk, drone manufacturer Insitu, and airspace-services company SkyGrid, for a nearly 20% share in Archer Aviation. The Archer stake, which Boeing will not receive until the deal is closed, is only worth a little over $1 billion according to its Thursday night share price. The company received a much-needed cash injection to stabilize its balance sheet by selling Jeppesen, but the sale of Wisk was a risky distraction and a way to offload risks. The development and certification of 'air taxis' and similar aircraft took a lot longer and cost more money than the advocates expected. They must still prove that they are viable commercially and overcome significant regulatory hurdles. Aboulafia stated that Wisk cost Boeing time and money, but there was no obvious payoff. Boeing sold Wisk Aero to other major electric vertical lift-off and landing (eVTOL), but they declined the sale. This deal is a win-win situation Boeing and Archer have agreed to a?collaboration and technology-sharing deal that will allow Boeing to use Wisk's autonomous-flight core technology for its current and future commercial aircraft programs. Brian Yutko said that the deal was a win-win for both parties. Yutko served as CEO of Wisk from May 2025 until he assumed his current position at Boeing. Archer brings together complementary autonomy capabilities and electric aviation technologies developed over many decades. Boeing's equity stake in Archer allows us to maintain market exposure and gain strategic upside. We can also continue to integrate these technologies into our products and sharpen our focus on our core commercial, defence and services businesses. Archer Aviation CEO Adam Goldstein said on X that the share price of Archer was up 24% as of Thursday. This is a significant increase since the announcement of the deal. While some critics saw 'Boeing’s equity stake in the deal as a sign that the company wanted to?offload risk, Archer Aviation Chief Executive Adam Goldstein stated on X: "the deal structure shows that Boeing understands the value of this combination ..." Aboulafia, and other industry experts, said that Boeing is now focused on increasing its jetliner production rather than pruning its portfolio. (Reporting and editing by Kate Maybery in Seattle, with Dan Catchpole reporting from Seattle)
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The Danube's record low levels have revealed sunken World War Two shipwrecks
Two World War II German warships have surfaced in Eastern Serbia due to a record-low water level that exposed sandbanks and stranded vessels. The rusty hulls of boats that were submerged since 1945 are now visible. Further north, in Novi Sad, many small vessels docked at marinas still remain stranded. Ljubisa Karali, a local fisherman from Prahovo said: "This is a first, the wrecks that we are heading toward right now have never before been so visible." "They have always been submerged. What we are?seeing is utterly unparalleled." The'record-breaking heatwaves' that have swept across Europe this summer caused severe drought in some parts, including the Rhine and Danube. The Danube temperatures in Serbia were at a maximum of 28 degrees Celsius. "A record was broken in terms of the?Danube discharge." Jelena Jerinic, of Serbia's Hydrometeorological Service, said: "We hope that this is the minimum.?Rain is forecast upstream, which should improve the situation." She warned that biodiversity along the river is also threatened. High (water) temperature, combined with low water volume, can accelerate the proliferation of bacteria and microorganisms, while reducing dissolved oxygen. (Reporting from Fedja Grulovic, Marko Djurica, Ivana Skularac, editing by Chizu Nomiayama)
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Oil spillage off Oman is threatening to cause a disaster as two slicks are seen in the Gulf
Satellite imagery and video confirmed that two slicks appeared in Iranian waters. The Caroline Bezengi tanker is currently leaking Russian crude in a marine protected area, creating a massive oil spill that some estimate to be 2,000 square kilometers. The Caroline Bezengi case is not linked to the Iran War. Two new slicks have been detected in the Gulf. Near DOLPHIN SHAPED ISLAND Images from Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites show that a slick is visible near the southern tip Qeshm Island. This large island shaped like a dolphin lies in the Strait of Hormuz, close to Iran's coastline. Wim Zwijnenburg is an environmental researcher and open-source researcher for the Dutch peace organization PAX. He said that the dark color in some parts of the slick was fuel oil heavy, while the lighter, diluted slick spanned around 160 km. In a video that was posted on 11 August and confirmed by the, dark, bubbling liquid washing up on the beaches at?Suza, Qeshm Island contrasted with the turquoise waters surrounding it. John Amos, CEO at SkyTruth which uses satellite images to detect oil spills called it "a major event". Satellite images showed that a second slick was spotted in the Gulf near Sirri Island, a smaller island located about 100 km southwest from Qeshm. This is where some Iranian offshore oil production takes place. Satellite imagery of Qeshm Island and Sirri Island were taken on August 10, respectively. A DRY BULK CARRIER HAS BEEN ATTACKED Samir Madani said that the Qeshm island slick was likely caused by a leak on the Minoan Pioneer dry bulk ship. The Liberia flagged vessel is a co-founder of TankerTrackers.com, an online monitoring service. Sources from maritime security said that the Minoan Pioneer, while passing through the Strait of Hormuz in an alleged Iranian attack on 3 August, was struck by an unknown projectile near Oman's coast. One seafarer has gone missing. One maritime security source said that the same leak may have affected Qeshm Island. Esmaeil BAQAEI, a spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X in a posting that oil pollution had?reached Qeshm Island, and that preliminary evidence "indicates a bulk carrier from abroad as the source". Could not independently confirm either slick's cause nor identify the chemicals involved. Sources involved in the salvage of the 'Minoan Pioneer', who refused to be named due to the sensitive nature of the matter, said on Friday that the tugboat sent to secure the vessel grounded could not reach it because the Iranian authorities had to grant permission. The Iranian Mission at Geneva has not responded to an immediate comment request. The conflict in this region has complicated efforts to assess and clean-up spills in Gulf waters, according to Brian Barnes, assistant professor of research and satellite oceanographer at the University of South Florida. The longer the oil leaks into the environment, the greater the damage it can cause to ecosystems and coastlines. (Reporting from Nilo Tabrizy and Jonathan Saul, in London; Catherine Cartier, in Winston-Salem North Carolina; and Renee Maltezou, in Athens. Additional reporting by Emily Giles. Editing by Jason Neely.
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Data shows that Turkey has cut its Russian oil imports due to Black Sea export disruptions, which have slowed down supplies.
According to traders and LSEG shipping data, Turkey cut oil purchases in Russian ports by 30% in July. It is expected to further reduce them in August as a result of Ukrainian drone attacks that disrupted the exports to Russia's Black Sea Terminals. In July, Ukraine intensified its attacks on?Russia?s Black Sea Terminal. This led to an export suspension of one week from the CPC terminal as well as unstable loadings at Novorossiysk. Caspian Pipeline Consortium oil loadings were reduced by 5 percent in July. Turkey condemned attacks on Russian-linked tankers that were?close to the waters of its Black Sea. They said they were alarming, and affected navigational safety and commerce in the area. In July, Turkey, which is one of the largest buyers of CPC Blend oil, Kazakh KEBCO oil, and Urals oil grades from Russian ports, only received 900,000 tonnes of oil, down from 1.2 million in June. LSEG data shows that just over 300,000 tonnes of this oil was supplied by the 'Black Sea, compared with 600,000 in June. According to LSEG, Turkey will receive 200,000 tons worth of oil in August from Russia's Black Sea port. Two tankers are expected to deliver KEBCO Kazakh oil to Turkey. However, no CPC?Blend oil or Urals oil is planned for this month. Data may be updated at a later date. Turkey diversifies its supply to offset the 'negative effects of the Black Sea Crisis, traders said. They added that in August, the state will import rare oil from Brazil and Guyana. Since the middle of the last month, loadings of the CPC pipeline have been disrupted. This is in addition to the supply disruptions linked to the U.S. and Israeli war against?Iran. The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that Ukraine had halted drone attacks?on non Russian oil tankers using Russia’s Black Sea CPC Terminal after a request by U.S. Vice-President JD Vance.
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Deutsche Bahn's DB InfraGO challenges German regulator's rail-capacity ruling
DB InfraGO, a division of Deutsche Bahn that manages rail 'tracks' and capacity, took legal 'action' over a regulator's decision to restrict 'Deutsche Bahn access to 'congested routes', the company said on Friday. In its Friday filing, it also requested a suspension in the regulatory order while it pursues its legal challenge. In July, the Federal Network Agency of Germany ordered DB InfraGO that it would cap any one operator's share 'at 60% to 70% on certain congested route' to allow rivals to access. The German?Bahn, which controls 95% of Germany’s long-distance market, is currently battling chronic delays and undergoing a decade-long network upgrade that will cost approximately EUR150 billion ($173billion). The July ruling by the regulator followed a complaint from?Italian High-Speed Operator Italo The company, which wants to enter the German market by 2028, says that it needs predictable access to an already overloaded network. DB InfraGO stated that the regulator's decisions favoured operators who have a regular timetable and may disadvantage new entrants or established operators if they do not follow this model. In a press release, DB InfraGO AG stated that it hoped to clarify the legal basis, the proportionality and the 'practical feasibility' of the orders issued by the authority. The network regulator stated that the DB InfraGO decision was "not unexpected given the fundamental importance of the case". It said that the?arguments made had already been the subject matter of proceedings, and they were taken into account.
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Dubai's earnings slip due to weak Air Arabia and Alec, while Abu Dhabi gains
Dubai's main stock index fell on Friday, after the United States threatened a?naval?blockade against Iran. This sparked concerns about potential?trade disruptors in the?Middle East. The United States said on Thursday that it would continue to maintain its naval blockade against Iran and increase economic pressure in Tehran, as the ceasefire talks failed. Dubai's main index dropped 0.4% for the second consecutive session. This was dragged down by a 4.1% decline in budget airline Air Arabia, and a 0.5% drop in blue-chip developer Emaar Properties. Air Arabia reported its largest intraday drop in over three months after reporting a fall of 75% in the?second quarter net profit, to 87.9 million dirhams (US$23.93). The Investment Corporation of Dubai's construction firm Alec Holding dropped 4.4%, to a new four-month-low after reporting a loss of 16.3 millions dirhams ($4.44million) in the second quarter. This compares with a profit of 122.9% dirhams one year ago. The benchmark index in Abu?Dhabi rose 0.02%. This was boosted by Orascom Construction's 1.8% gain and Space42, a space tech company powered by AI. Orascom Construction, an EPC contractor based in Cairo, reported a 74% increase in net profit for the second quarter to $61.9 millions. Adnoc Gas fell 0.9% following its parent company's?statement that two of their vessels were?attacked on Thursday night while transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. LSEG data shows that Abu Dhabi's Index posted a -0.5% loss for the week after?three weeks of gains. Dubai dropped 1% following two weeks of gains.
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Sinograin, a Chinese soybean company, announces its fourth major auction since July.
Sinograin, a Chinese company, announced on Friday that it will auction 360,000 metric tonnes of imported soybeans on August 19. Industry experts believe that the state stockpiler is clearing out space for incoming U.S. soyabeans, as evidenced by its fourth sale since July. According to a?notice from the National Grain Trade Centre, a?sale is scheduled for 1:30 pm (0530 GMT) on Wednesday. It will include soybeans produced between 2022 and 2025. After a 'May summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, China agreed to purchase 25 million tons of U.S. soya beans annually until 2028. Two traders in 'Asia' said that China has 'already bought about 7 million tonnes of U.S. soya beans as of this week and they expect Sinograin will continue auctions over the next few weeks. Reporting by Shi 'Bu, Yukun Zhu and Liz Lee Editing and David Goodson by Hugh Lawson
Singapore's marine fuel prices are higher than other regional countries due to a tighter supply
Trade sources and analysts claim that the supply of low-sulphur fuel in Singapore has been tightened due to reduced refinery output and a decline in sweet crude imports. This has led to higher refuelling prices for shippers.
Data showed that spot premiums for fuel oil with a maximum 0.5% sulfur content (VLSFO), also known as fuel oil without sulphur, surpassed $58 per ton in Singapore on Tuesday. This was a record high of over four months.
Trade sources reported that bunker fuel premiums in Singapore were well over $100 per ton for a prompt delivery. The U.S. - Iran war has led to a global increase in marine fuel prices.
Emril Jamil is a senior research manager with Kpler. He said that the current price strength will likely continue into September, as low-sulphur blend components and heavy sweet crude arrivals are limited.
Marine fuels can be blended to meet specific specifications. Some heavy-sweet crudes are used from countries such as Sudan, Brazil and Australia.
Kpler data shows that the total amount of heavy low-sulphur oil arriving in Singapore and Malaysia in July was 475,000 tonnes, down from 663,00 tons in June. Arrivals in August are estimated to be 428,000 tons.
Jamil said that, "given the current anxiety about crude oil supply, more barrels will be absorbed by the refinery instead of being blended with low-sulphur fuel."
Trade sources and analysts reported that refineries prioritized the production of other transportation fuels which have higher margins.
June Goh is a senior oil market analyst at Sparta Commodities. She said that refineries would have more difficulty producing VLSFO. The crude shortage is real, as we move into September processing. Medium crude resupply options in Asia are becoming limited.
SINGAPORE PRICES ABOVE OTHER PORTS IN ASIAN
In recent weeks, the?tighter VLSFO expectations has led to a rise in marine fuel prices in Singapore. They are now higher than other Asian ports.
Trade sources claim that for prompt dates, the cost of refueling ships with VLSFO at Singapore is $50 higher per metric ton than China ports such as?Zhoushan or Shanghai.
Sources confirmed that VLSFO sold at other ports in the region, such as Hong Kong, South Korea, and Tokyo, was also cheaper than Singapore.
An official from a shipping firm said that while ships are unlikely to divert to China to buy bunkers at lower prices, they will attempt to take in more bunkers at Zhoushan when already there.
Fuel trading manager predicts that the overall demand for marine fuel will soften, as shipowners become more cautious in their purchases due to high premiums throughout Asia ports.
(source: Reuters)