Asia

Two sources said that the Russian Baltic ports of Primorsk & Ust-Luga - major export terminals - halted crude oil & oil product loadings on a Wednesday, after a massive Ukrainian drone attack sparked an blaze visible from Finland. The drone strikes on the Baltic ports are one of the biggest strikes against Russia's oil-exporting facilities during the four-year war, and will likely add to the uncertainty surrounding the global oil market amid the conflict in the Middle East. According to?videos that were posted on Telegram, massive plumes of black ash billowed into the air on Wednesday. According to the...

On Tuesday, at a business forum between the EU and Vietnam in Hanoi, financial deals and grants totaling 560 million euros ($650 million) were announced to support projects in Vietnam that promote 'clean energy' or'sustainable transport. The agreements include a 200 million euro deal between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Vietnamese lender Techcombank, to support solar and wind power projects, energy efficiency and e-mobility. The French?development agency AFD, along with its private-sector subsidiary Proparco, signed loan agreements for 230 million Euros with Vietnamese state utility company EVN to help develop the Bac Ai hydroelectric plant. * The European Union...

On Monday, two tankers bound to India passed through the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. president?Donald Trump warned that he would attack Iran's nuclear power plants if?Tehran did not drop its threats which have effectively shut down the Gulf. Since the beginning of the Iran war on February 28, exports to Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, have been blocked. Tehran has also launched attacks against ships and warned anyone passing through the southern strait in the Gulf. The two tankers, both with Indian flags, were transporting liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which is mainly used for cooking...

The 'Dubai Media Office' said on Monday that authorities are?dealing?with a??fire? resulting??? from a drone attack near the Dubai International Airport. They added that there were no reported injuries. Dubai authorities stated that the drone attack had hit a fuel tank, and civil defence teams are working to control the fire. Gulf Arab states have been subjected to more than 2,000'missile and drone attacks' since the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran began on February 28. These include U.S. military bases and diplomatic missions, but also vital Gulf oil infrastructure and ports, airports and hotels, as well as residential and...

Sources said on Friday that China will ease the ban on BHP's Jimblebar Fines, an iron-ore product, until next week. This comes only one day after Beijing tightened restrictions on its third largest supplier. China Mineral Resources Group (the state-run iron ore purchaser) told domestic steelmills they could take "delivery of Jimblebar fins already at port for around a week," said three sources who were familiar with the matter, but on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue. Steelmakers and traders are excluded from the exception. CMRG?barred? steelmakers and traders? from purchasing Jimblebar?fines in September and...

India's Government said that an Indian flagged vessel, loaded with 80.800 metric tonnes of Murban oil from the United Arab Emirates, left Fujairah on Sunday. This was a day after sources reported that'some loading operations were suspended' at the UAE port. Sources said that oil loading operations in the UAE's Fujairah, a major hub for bunkering and crude export, have resumed following a Saturday drone attack and fire. However, it is unclear whether the operations are back to normal. India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that the vessel, Jag Laadki was loading oil at Single Point Mooring when...

U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News that he is 'looking into'?loosening the?shipping regulations under the Jones Act. He said in an interview aired Friday that he will 'look at it, but he did not give any...other details. Trump stated in an interview with Fox News Radio’s "The Brian Kilmeade show" recorded on Thursday evening, "We'll look, we'll look at everything and it's going to work out." Trump talked about military plans for 45 minutes, claiming that the U.S. The military has not yet targeted Iran's infrastructure, or its uranium stockpile. When asked about U.S. plans to take Iran's Kharg...

Sources said that China will lift a ban on BHP's Jimblebar Fines, an Iron Ore?product until the next week, only a day after Beijing increased restrictions against its third largest supplier. China Mineral Resources Group (the state-run buyer of iron ore) told domestic steelmills they could take delivery of Jimblebar fins already in ports for about a week. Three sources familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue was sensitive, confirmed this. Steelmakers are the only ones who will be affected by this exception, and not traders. CMRG banned steelmakers and traders from buying Jimblebar...

Russian ESPO blend crude loaded from Kozmino in April and 'early May' has surged at a premium to Brent in Chinese and Indian port, traders reported on Friday. This is due to supply shortages caused mainly by the Iran -war and a softerening of america sanctions. The easing of?U.S. sanctions and the supply'shortages caused by the Iran -war' have fueled demand. After the United States allowed Indians, who were affected by a reduced Middle East oil supply, to buy Russian crude, prices for Russian crude jumped in comparison to Brent. Four sources said that the 30-day waiver granted to Indian...

Donald Trump stated that the United States would escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, if necessary. He also said in an interview with Fox News that was aired Friday that they were going to strike Iran "very heavily" over the coming week. When asked about helping oil tanks pass through the key shipping strait in question, Trump replied: "We'd do it if we needed to." You?know, I hope that everything goes well. We're going see what happens." He did not give any other details. He said in an interview with Fox's Brian Kilmeade, which aired a part of the...

Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu stated that Turkey was looking to sell some operating rights of highways and bridges in order to reduce budget pressures. However, the country has no plans to sell these assets. Heavy maintenance on major highways and roads increases the cost to the state. Uraloglu added that Ankara was working to see if this work could be transferred?to private operators. "Highways are not sold. "We are examining the possibility of granting 'operating rights' for certain periods, and transferring the cost to the operator in order to avoid additional pressure on budgets," Uraloglu stated. "There has been no...

Data from industry sources and calculations revealed that Russia's seaborne?oil product -exports for February 2026 fell 3.3% from the previous month to 7.97?metric tons?. This was due to a combination of?unplanned?refinery _outages? and harsh weather conditions in key ports. According to the data, oil exports from Russia’s Baltic ports - Primorsk Vysotsk St. Petersburg Ust-Luga -- decreased by?11.4% on a month-to-month basis to 4.7 millions tons. Since mid-February, Russian Baltic ports have barred non-ice class tankers from entering. Ice1 and Ice2 vessels are allowed to enter with icebreakers. The data revealed that, in contrast to the Baltic Sea, oil products...

India, the fastest-growing aviation market in the world, will?invest $3.06billion as part of a program to increase air transportation to underserved areas in the country. The country relies?on an aviation boom to boost job creation and drive economic growth. However, it has faced challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, taxation, and other issues. In 2016, the program Ude Desh Ka?Aam Nagrik (or "Let common citizens of a country fly") was launched. India announced a modified version on Wednesday that will see 100 new airports built and more subsidies provided to airlines so they can operate routes which would be otherwise unprofitable....

ADES International Holding, a Saudi Arabian oil drilling group, said that its core earnings in 2026 will?rise?by upto 44%, despite the U.S./Israeli war against Iran, which forced some of the offshore rigs to be suspended. ADES's bullish forecast is based on the company's geographic and scale diversification, as evidenced by its 123 rigs deployed across 20 countries. The war has disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and shaken global markets. In a press release, Chief Executive Mohamed Farouk stated that "we remain confident in our abilities to navigate the current climate?in an organized manner". ADES has announced that its...

Energy Minister Alparslan bayraktar stated on Wednesday that despite the Iran conflict, Turkey's dependence on Middle East crude oil is at a "manageable and minimal" 10% of total supplies. On a programme of the state-run Anadolu Agency, he stated that the war caused a "crisis in global energy security". He added that Turkey, as a "large energy importer" and a neighbor to Iran, has taken steps to diversify its energy supply. Bayraktar said that a $1 rise in the price per barrel of oil cost Turkey $400 million. When asked about the natural gas supply, Bayraktar replied that there have...

After the U.S. and Israeli air strikes against Iran are over, a new competition is likely to begin: the race for contracts to repair damaged oil and natural gas infrastructures and to restore shipping lanes – and influence – across the 'Middle East. The destruction does not stop in Iran. Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, warned that at least 40 energy assets in nine Middle Eastern countries have been "severely" or "very severely" damaged. It will take time to repair oil and gas fields and refineries, as well as pipelines, Fatih Birol said. Fatih Birol said that...

The Finance Ministry reported that Uganda's economy grew by 8.5% in the December quarter, up from 5.4% in the same period last year. This was due to strong consumer demand, high construction activity and other sectors. In a late-night post on 'the X platform,' the ministry said that construction on a $5 billion pipeline that will help Uganda export crude oil to 'international markets has reached 80%. The 1,443 km (897 miles) long (EACOP), will begin from the oilfields in western Uganda and end at the port of Tanga, on Tanzania's Indian Ocean coastline. After a long delay, the 'east...

Energy Minister Yerlan AKkenzhenov announced on Tuesday that Kazakhstan's crude oil production had been restored - following a disruption in loading at the CPC pipeline in _December and January. Akkenzhenov, speaking on the sidelines of the Conference, said that the country was "very dependent" on the CPC Pipeline and it was important to keep it away from sanctions and attacks. Tengiz, the oilfield that accounts for 40% of Kazakhstan's production, was unable to produce crude oil due to power outages and Ukrainian drone attacks. The minister stated that Kazakhstan now produces 1.7 million barrels of crude oil per day, plus...

Ukraine increased its attacks on Russian energy installations in recent weeks, as peace talks failed to progress. The following is a brief summary of the attacks and their impact. SARATOV RIFFINERY Sources claim that the Saratov oil refining plant, controlled by Rosneft was 'hit by a drone' on March 21. Its crude?distillation? unit has been closed since then. The refinery will process 5.8 million tons of oil in 2024, which is 2.2% of the total Russian oil refining. ILSKY REFINERY On February 17, a fire broke out in the Ilsky Oil Refinery, located in southern Russia. The cause was drone...

Officials said that Russian strikes on Ukraine have killed at least 5 people, damaged houses and affected energy supplies, including a power line between 'Moldova and Europe, overnight and early Tuesday morning. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, said that damage was reported in 11 areas after heavy drone and missile attacks. He also issued a fresh appeal to allies for them to provide air defence munitions to Kyiv. He has warned repeatedly that Kyiv will be left with a shortage of missiles, as Washington focuses on the U.S. and Israeli war in Iran. It's important that we continue to...

Gulf Coast reexports of Canadian heavy crude oil will rise significantly in the next decade, thanks to pipeline projects that are approved and planned to transport more oil from Canada into the U.S. Colin Gruending said that the opening of Canada’s Trans Mountain pipeline by 2024 will redirect a large share of Canada’s crude oil exports to British Columbia’s Pacific Coast and away from U.S. Gulf Coast Terminals. Enbridge's expansion plans for its Mainline crude oil pipeline network mean that some of Canada's newly-found export capacity will go through the Gulf of Mexico to reach international markets. Gruending stated that...

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, said on Monday that Ukraine was interested in importing Mozambican liquefied gas, because it "struggles" to meet its energy requirements after years of Russian attacks against its production infrastructure. Prior to the war, Ukraine produced almost all its own gas. Andriy Pyshnyi, Central Bank governor of Ukraine, said that the Russian attacks have caused Ukraine to lose about half of its gas production. In the?autumn of last year, Russia intensified their attacks on Ukrainian gas facilities. Most are located in the?frontline areas in northeast and central Ukraine. Zelenskiy, who met with the President of...

Officials said that Russian attacks on Saturday killed four people and left much of the northern region of?Chernihiv with no power. Ivan Fedorov, the governor of Zaporizhzhia, said that the morning attack in the city had killed two people, a man, and a woman. Six others were injured, including two young children. Officials in the Dnipropetrovsk Region have confirmed that two people were killed southeast of Dnipro, the regional capital. In multiple attacks, five people were injured. In his evening video address, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy noted Russian strikes across several regions of eastern and southern Ukraine. He said that 'power...

The Iraqi 'oil ministry' said that the Kurdistan Regional Government?refused it to use a pipeline for an alternative route for crude shipments disrupted by?the Iran _conflict. It accused authorities in Kurdistan of placing irrelevant conditions. Senior Kurdish officials told authorities that they would welcome the Iraqi government using the pipeline. However, Baghdad must first lift its "dollar embargo", which he called on the region. "We want to make a deal." "We want to help Iraq, and bring relief? to the markets. But this embargo has got to end first," said the official. Sources told The Daily Mail on 8 March...