Latest News
-
New U.S. Sanctions against Russian Energy Interests
The U.S. Treasury announced new sanctions on Friday against the Russian energy industry, including oil giants Gazprom and Surgutneftegaz, in an effort to hamper Moscow's war with Ukraine. The U.S. Treasury announced that Britain has also joined sanctions against these two companies. According to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, sanctions are also targeted at more than 180 vessels, dozens of oil traders and oilfield service providers as well as insurance companies and officials in energy. The following are key individuals and entities affected: RUSSIAN MAJOR OIL MAJORS Gazprom Neft Surgutneftegaz; There are more than two dozen subsidiaries, including the Moscow Oil Refinery, and companies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Luxembourg. RUSSIA SEABORNE OIL - Exports Sovcomflot, the state-owned Russian shipping company and fleet operator; The UK has sanctioned two Russian maritime insurers: Ingosstrakh Insurance Company, and Alfastrakhovanie Group. Sovcomflot owns 69 vessels, including 54 oil tankers, four LNG tankers and a total of 49 products tankers. Fornax Ship Management FZCO, and Stream Ship Management FZCO are two UAE-based ship management companies that support Sovcomflot. There are 138 vessels, mostly oil tankers, which form part of the shadow fleet, as well as oil tanks owned by Russian fleet operators. Rosnefteflot is the Russian oil company Rosneft's marine transport arm. Sovcomflot and Rosnefteflot were regular Russian oil shippers to India. OPAQUE TRADERS OF RUSSIAN RUSSIAN OIL Black Pearl Network is a major Russian crude oil trader, which includes barrels above the $60 price limit. Black Pearl Network has sold over $2 billion in Russian crude oil, oil products and petroleum derivatives since 2023. Conmar Maritime DMCC, based in the UAE (Conmar), is affiliated with Black Pearl. There are also a number other UAE and Hong Kong trading offices. RUSSIAN ENERGY OFFICIALS Yusuf Alekperov is the founder of Russian oilfield service company Welltech, and the son of Vagit Alekperov who was one of Lukoil’s founders. Aleksander Dyukov is the CEO of Gazprom; Sergei Kudryashov is the CEO of Zarubezhneft, an oil producer. Nail Maganov is the CEO of Tatneft, an oil company. Vadim Vorobyev is the CEO of Lukoil. Vladimir Bogdanov is the CEO of Surgutneftegaz. Kevin Liffey (Reporting and Editing)
-
Sources: Greece evaluates the impact of US blacklisting Piraeus Port Owner COSCO
Sources told The Greek Government on Friday that Piraeus, Greece's largest port, is still operating normally despite the U.S. blacklisting of COSCO, its majority owner. The U.S. Defense Department announced on Monday that it added COSCO Shipping, a Chinese shipping company, to a list it claimed worked with China's Military. The shipping industry views this as an attempt to discourage U.S. firms from trading with COSCO Shipping. COSCO, the largest shipping group in the world, announced on Wednesday that no of its units were military companies. It also said that its global operations would continue uninterrupted and that the company would explain the matter to U.S. authorities. The U.S. Blacklisting is not a sanction that can be applied to the commercial sector. However, it has caused concern in Greece, where Piraeus - one of the biggest ports in the Mediterranean based on throughput - has already seen a decline in trade due to the Red Sea Crisis, in which Yemen's Houthis are attacking commercial shipping. A Greek official who is familiar with the situation said, "I do not see any impact on Piraeus. But it's still early." A second Greek official confirmed that Greece was monitoring the situation, and had discussed it with its EU counterparts. COSCO's subsidiary also operates terminals in Spain and Italy. Omar Nokta, an analyst at Jefferies, said that there is a potential for market players to'self sanction' themselves out of fear they will run afoul with U.S. policies. Ulf Bergman is a senior economist at the freight platform Shipfix. He said that while blacklisting does not include any legal sanctions, many importers may be deterred by it. Unidentified Greek shipowner said that the blacklisting is a part of a power struggle between China and the U.S., rather than a game-changer. Danish shipping group NORDEN said that the ruling has not affected their business yet. It said, "We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust as necessary." The U.S. sanctioned two COSCO subsidiaries in 2019. This prompted shipping companies temporarily to suspend the chartering of their vessels, until the sanctions are lifted. Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Jonathan Saul. (Editing by Jane Merriman.
-
Asian area LNG down from one-month high ahead of Lunar New Year
Asian area liquefied natural gas (LNG) costs fell today from a onemonth high, amid weak demand ahead of the Lunar New Year vacation in Asia, healthy stocks and as current high costs kept some purchasers at bay. The average LNG rate for February delivery into north-east Asia was $14.00 per million British thermal units ( mmBtu), down from $14.60 last week, industry sources approximated. Spot gas prices in Europe and in Asia have actually dropped back from their highs at the start of the month, as the marketplace has taken in the shutdown of Russia-Ukraine pipe flows said Alex. Froley, senior LNG analyst at data intelligence company ICIS. China's need doesn't appear too strong at the minute. November and December dropped below in 2015's levels and we. saw 3 freights re-exported in December, one each to South. Korea, Thailand and Japan, Froley stated. The high rate levels over the past weeks have actually kept price. sensitive buyers in both China and India away from the spot. market, stated Martin Senior citizen, head of LNG pricing at Argus. With stocks still reasonably well-filled and very little. economic enhancement provided the current numbers on Chinese. industrial production and inflation, it seems clear that some. portfolio managers must be well-prepared for the second half of. the winter season, said Klaas Dozeman, market analyst at Creation. Product Intelligence. As the Lunar New Year approaches, the risk of any deficiency. throughout the winter season decreases by the day. It is thus no. surprise that spot activity is still restricted with only. Bangladesh as an active purchaser at the moment, Dozeman added. In Europe, LNG delivered costs fell this week from a. one-year high the previous week. However, the inter-basin. arbitrage, moving freights from one market to another, has held. firmly shut, with a minimum of 2 cargoes diverting in the. mid-Atlantic to Europe this week as Asian buyers are not. competing for Atlantic basin supply, Argus' Martin Senior citizen stated. Meanwhile, Europe has actually been withdrawing from gas storage. faster than the last few years however those winters were moderate, and. this year's trajectory is not out of line with longer-term. averages, ICIS' Froley said. S&P Global Commodity Insights examined its daily North West. Europe LNG Marker (NWM) price criteria for cargoes delivered in. February on an ex-ship (DES) basis at $13.385/ mmBtu on Jan. 9, a. $ 0.20/ mmBtu discount to the February gas cost at the Dutch TTF. center. Argus assessed the cost at $13.355/ mmBtu, while Spark. Products evaluated it at $13.324/ mmBtu. The U.S. arbitrage to north-east Asia through the Panama Canal. is presently likewise signalling U.S. cargoes are incentivised to. provide to north-west Europe, said Spark Commodities expert. Qasim Afghan. The front-month arbitrage is also firmly closed, most likely a. big driving aspect behind the recent diversions of U.S. freights away from Asia and towards Europe. In LNG freight, Atlantic rates dropped to $24,000/ day on. Friday, while Pacific rates stayed consistent at $21,750/ day,. Afghan added.
-
Black Sea oil spill broadens, Russian authorities state
Emergency situation workers toiling to clean up an oil spill in the Black Sea have found seven new slicks, a Russian official informed the TASS state news firm on Friday, as authorities struggle to reduce the impacts of the nearly monthold catastrophe. Roughly 2,400 metric tons of oil items have spilled into the sea because Dec. 15, when two aging tankers were struck by a storm in the Kerch Strait. President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the clean-up efforts so far have been insufficient to handle the scale of the circumstance, which he called one of the most serious ecological obstacles we have dealt with in years. Andrei Pavlyuchenko, an emergency situation ministry authorities in Russian-annexed Crimea, stated on Friday that workers had identified 7 more cases of contamination along beaches in 4 districts in Crimea, as well as on Tuzla Island, a narrow spit of land below the Crimean Bridge connecting southern Russia to the Black Sea peninsula. Pavlyuchenko informed TASS the new infected location had to do with 9 miles (14 km) long, which 10 vessels and two airplanes were associated with keeping track of the coast. Considering that the spill, thousands of emergency workers and volunteers have been working to clear lots of contaminated sand and earth on either side of the Kerch Strait. Environmental groups have actually reported deaths of dolphins, cetaceans and sea birds. One tanker, the 136-metre Volgoneft 212, divided in half and sank, eliminating one team member. Russian authorities said on Friday they had identified a brand-new leak from the stern of the other vessel, the 132-metre Volgoneft-239, which ran aground throughout the storm. Monitoring groups discovered that oil products have started to come out of the vessel, the functional head office of Russia's Krasnodar area, across the strait from Crimea, wrote on Telegram. Russia's transport ministry said the brand-new slick from the Volgoneft-239 was about 30,000 square feet (2,800 square metres). in size, approximately equivalent to 10 tennis courts. It said specialists were working to eliminate the waste and. were keeping an eye on for new leaks all the time.
-
AGDC and Glenfarne to develop $44 bln Alaska LNG task
The Alaska state's Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) participated in a special arrangement with developer Glenfarne to advance the Alaska LNG project, an AGDC spokesperson stated on Friday. The task is estimated to cost $44 billion and will begin to deliver natural gas in 2031 and LNG exports would follow quickly thereafter, the spokesperson said. Glenfarne will lead and money the task advancement, consisting of the Arctic Carbon Capture plant on the North Slope, the LNG export facility in Nikiski and the 807-mile (1,300-km). pipeline, which will transect the state. The pipeline will bring as much as 3.3 billion cubic feet of gas. each day from the state's petroleum-rich North Slope to Alaska. neighborhoods and an export terminal south of Juneau. The job, which was very first authorized under Donald Trump's. administration, got Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. permission in 2020 and last legal approval in 2022, regardless of. opposition from environmental groups.
-
Airstrikes target Hezyaz power station in Sanaa, Houthis' Al Masirah television reports
Airstrikes targeted the Hezyaz power station in Sanaa, Al . Masirah TV, the primary television news outlet run by the Houthis. who control northern Yemen including the capital reported on. Friday. Earlier, British security company Ambrey stated it had actually received. reports of continuous airstrikes throughout Houthi-controlled locations of. Yemen consisting of the port of Ras Issa, Yemen's primary oil export. terminal. The Houthis have repeatedly fired drones and rockets. towards Israel and introduced attacks on worldwide shipping in. waters near Yemen given that November 2023, in assistance of the. Palestinians over Israel's war with Hamas. Israel has actually responded with airstrikes, as have Britain. and the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated last. month Israel was only at the beginning of its campaign versus. the Houthis.
-
Delta forecasts greatest earnings in its 100-year history
Delta Air Lines stated on Friday it expects 2025 to be the most lucrative year in the business's 100year history, thanks to robust demand for premium travel along with the market's improved prices power. The U.S. provider likewise reported a higher-than-expected 4th quarter revenue and projection more powerful incomes in the current quarter. Shares of the airline company were up nearly 4% in premarket trading. Delta stated it expects revenues in excess of $7.35 a share this year compared to experts' expectation of $7.22 per share, according to LSEG information. The company reported an adjusted revenue of $6.16 a share in 2024. As we move into 2025, we anticipate strong demand for travel to continue, with consumers increasingly looking for the premium items and experiences that Delta provides, CEO Ed Bastian said. Need for high-end travel has been growing given that the pandemic, with tourists more going to pay additional dollars for more comfortable and fancy seats. Delta, which has positioned itself as the country's premium airline, has been among the greatest recipients. Delta's premium ticket earnings has been growing much faster than main-cabin ticket earnings and is predicted to surpass it by 2027. In the December quarter, premium revenue development outperformed primary cabin by 6 portion points. The company's general profits grew at a faster-than-expected pace in the fourth quarter from a year back, driven by both leisure and corporate travel demand. Delta stated the pattern is sustaining in the brand-new year and is anticipated to lead to income growth of 7% -9% in the March quarter from a year earlier. FEWER SEATS, HIGHER COSTS A sharp reduction in airline company seats in the domestic market, which plagued carriers last summertime, has increased ticket rates and boosted the industry's earnings outlook. The trend helped Delta post higher system profits, a proxy for pricing power, in the December quarter regardless of a downturn in travel spending around the U.S. presidential election in November. The Atlanta-based carrier pointed out an significantly. useful market background as a contributing factor in its. efficiency this year. Delta is not alone. Market analysts are sanguine about. U.S. airline companies, crediting their capacity discipline. J.P.Morgan. experts have actually called it a brand-new golden era for the industry. Delta anticipated an adjusted profit in the series of 70 cents. to $1 a share for the quarter through March, compared with. experts' expectation of 77 cents per share, according to LSEG. data. It reported an adjusted profit of $1.85 per share in the. December quarter, topping the $1.75 approximated by experts.
-
Delta anticipates the strongest earnings in its 100-year history
Delta Air Lines said on Friday it expects 2025 to be the most lucrative year in the business's 100year history, thanks to robust need for premium travel along with the market's enhanced prices power. The U.S. carrier likewise reported a higher-than-expected 4th quarter revenue and forecast more powerful earnings in the existing quarter. Delta said it anticipates earnings in excess of $7.35 a share this year compared to experts' expectations of $7.22 per share, according to LSEG data. The company reported an adjusted earnings of $6.16 a share in 2024. As we move into 2025, we expect strong demand for travel to continue, with consumers significantly looking for the premium products and experiences that Delta supplies, CEO Ed Bastian stated. Demand for high-end travel has actually been expanding considering that the pandemic, with tourists more ready to pay extra dollars for more comfortable and fancy seats. Delta, which has actually positioned itself as the nation's premium airline, has been among the greatest beneficiaries. Delta's premium ticket profits has been growing much faster than main-cabin ticket income and is predicted to exceed it by 2027. In the December quarter, premium revenue growth surpassed primary cabin by 6 percentage points. The business's overall earnings grew at a faster-than-expected speed in the fourth quarter from a year back, driven by both leisure and corporate travel demand. Delta stated the trend is sustaining in the new year and is expected to lead to profits development of 7% -9% in the March quarter from a year ago. LESS SEATS, HIGHER PRICES A sharp decrease in airline seats in the domestic market, which pestered providers last summer, has driven up ticket rates and reinforced the market's revenues outlook. The pattern helped Delta post greater unit profits, a proxy for pricing power, in the December quarter regardless of a slowdown in travel costs around the U.S. presidential election in November. The Atlanta-based carrier pointed out an progressively. constructive industry background as a contributing factor in its. efficiency this year. Delta is not alone. Market analysts are sanguine about. U.S. airlines, crediting their capability discipline. JP Morgan. analysts have actually called it a brand-new golden era for the industry. Delta forecast an adjusted revenue in the series of 70 cents. to $1 a share for the quarter through March, compared to. analysts' expectations of 77 cents per share, according to LSEG. information. It reported an adjusted revenue of $1.85 per share in the. December quarter, topping the $1.75 approximated by analysts.
Cyclone-battered Mayotte bracing for new hurricane
Residents of the cycloneravaged French abroad area of Mayotte were recommended on Friday to guarantee they might shelter in strong buildings and had food and water over the weekend as another hurricane neared the Indian Ocean archipelago.
The Mayotte prefecture said in a declaration it had actually triggered a cyclone pre-alert as of 0800 GMT on Friday as Storm Dikeledi was due to cross Madagascar on Saturday before heading eastwards.
The storm was because of pass about 140 km (87 miles) south of Mayotte on Saturday night and on Sunday, bringing high winds and heavy rains.
Winds will slowly increase to reach an average of 50-60 km/h and gusts of 90-100 km/h, with a danger of marine submersion on the coasts due to the level of the tide and the state of the sea, the prefecture said, mentioning Meteo France.
In mid-December the most destructive cyclone to strike Mayotte in 90 years caused colossal damage in France's poorest department, eliminating at least 39 individuals and leaving thousands injured, according to the most recent count.
(source: Reuters)