Asia

Ship tracking data revealed that fewer vessels traversed the Strait of Hormuz Friday than they did earlier in the week. This was hours after an Iranian-operated vessel fired on a Taiwanese ship. U.N.'shipping 'agency temporarily suspended its voluntary scheme for evacuating hundreds of stranded vessels and thousands of seafarers out of the Gulf, after the ship was damaged by the attack near the Omani side. Nevertheless, data from LSEG's and MarineTraffic's ship tracking showed that at least four oil tankers, including three very large crude carrier ships, each of which can carry a maximum 2 million barrels, had entered the...

Shipping data and sources indicate that oil tanker operators have made record profits this week after almost doubling the cost of hiring vessels to travel through the Strait of Hormuz or the wider Gulf region. This is due to the increasing demand for the waterway as it slowly begins to pick up. The strait's traffic has been relatively low since Iran lifted the effective blockade after agreeing on a 60-day truce with the U.S. last week. Meanwhile, talks are continuing to reach a permanent agreement to end the war. The number of vessels passing through Hormuz has dropped to a...

Shipping data revealed that four liquefied?gas tanks controlled by Qatar headed into the Strait of Hormuz despite a drop in?ship traffic following Iran's announcement over the weekend that the waterway had been closed again. Shiptracking data by analytics firm Kpler revealed that the tankers - Wadi Al Sadd, Mekaines Al Sadd, and Mesaimeer – entered the strait via Iran for the first since the U.S./Israeli war against Iran began. QatarEnergy's LNG exports, which have been severely curtailed since the beginning of the war on February 28, didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. LSEG data shows that the dry...

The United States and Iran signed a ceasefire agreement on Friday, and Gulf producers are preparing to increase exports in spite of concerns about the conditions set by Tehran. Washington and Tehran have released the text for an interim agreement that was signed on Wednesday, to end the conflict. Donald Trump has warned that he will resume his attacks and "target Iranian officials" if the commitments made are not kept. MarineTraffic reports that at least four tankers with crude oil, oil products, and liquefied gas headed for Iraqi Gulf port entered the strait Friday. After being delayed by war, a...

Iran is also preparing to resume its exports and trade. This comes as U.S. president Donald Trump recently welcomed the return of oil from Gulf allies. Shipping data shows that at least three tankers, each carrying?some 5 million barrels of Iranian crude oil, have passed through the U.S. Naval Blockade in the past week. This is despite the U.S. Military saying it will continue its operations to block Iran-linked ships until Friday. The oil market is focused on the deal that Trump announced on 14 June and which will be signed in Switzerland on Friday. Trump posted on Sunday,?Sunday, that...

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command announced on Friday that U.S. forces had seized the stateless sanctioned oil tanker Davina in the Indian Ocean overnight. Washington has placed a sea blockade against Iran, while Tehran has fired at ships to stop them from?sailing? through the Strait of Hormuz and entering the Middle East Gulf. In recent months, U.S. forces intercepted "multiple commercial and petroleum tankers" in the Indian Ocean. Indo-Pacific Command posted on X that "we will continue to enforce global maritime law to?disrupt illegal networks and 'interdict vessels providing materials support to Iran wherever they operate". According to data from ship...

The CEO of the world's largest ship recycler said that Dubai-based GMS won approval from the U.S. Government to scrap four containers ships which were subject to?Iran related sanctions. This could pave the way for Washington to reduce its shadow fleet?of?such vessels. The fact that hundreds of ships are not insured or complying with environmental safety standards has helped Iran and Russia to circumvent sanctions. They also pose a risk of fuel spills and oil leaks along busy sea routes. A mechanism approved for scrapping these vessels can be used to encourage their removal from circulation. This will reduce environmental...

Data showed that a Chinese-operated ship was "among the few" to cross the Strait 'Hormuz? in the last 24 hours. This comes as the uncertainty about reopening this critical waterway grows, with the talks between the U.S.A. and Iran at a standstill. Prior to the start of the war against Iran on February 28, the average daily shipping through the strait was 125-140 passages. As a result of the conflict, 20,000 sailors are still stranded on hundreds of ships in the?Gulf. According to an analysis based on ship tracking data, there were 10 ships per day that entered and left...

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...

The U.S. sanctioned tanker, Rich Starry,?arrived back at the Strait of?Hormuz Wednesday, after leaving the Gulf the previous day,?shipping information showed. It failed to?break a U.S.?blockade?on ships calling at Iranian port. U.S. president Donald Trump announced the ban on Sunday, after the weekend talks between the U.S. government and Iran in Islamabad failed to produce a result. The U.S. Central Command reported on X that "no ships were able to get past the U.S. Blockade during the first 24 hour period." Six vessels complied with the direction of U.S. Forces to turn around and re-enter a port in Iran. On...

Zefyros's manager in Greece confirmed that the tanker was struck by a missile overnight during a ship-to -ship transfer. Benetech Shipping SA reported that the incident took place at Iraq's Umm Qasar Anchorage late Wednesday during a transfer of fuel cargo with the Safesea Vishnu Tanker. All 23 crew members have been accounted for and are safe. The 23 crew members were evacuated and brought to land, according to a statement. SOMO reported that the Safesea Vishnu had been chartered by a company in Iraq contracted with State Organization for the Marketing of Oil. The Zefyros, meanwhile, was loaded with...

According to analysis of ship tracking platforms such as 'Kpler' and 'Lloyd's List' Intelligence, a Greek-operated tanker sailed across the Strait of Hormuz on Monday with a cargo of Saudi Arabian crude oil and India listed as its destination. Hundreds of ships are anchored on both sides of the strait as the U.S. and Israel war against Iran continues. The oil and shipping markets are watching for any signs of increased sailings through this critical waterway, through which most of the world's crude oil passes. MarineTraffic data showed that the Shenlong Suezmax, a tanker with a 1 million-barrel capacity, had...

Saudi Arabia may expand the capacity of its crude?oil pipeline to the western Red Sea coast, according to five sources familiar with the matter. This would allow the kingdom, and perhaps neighbours, to 'transport' more oil without having to cross the Strait of Hormuz. The East-West Pipeline was constructed in the early 1980s, and it has been crucial ever since the Iran War and the subsequent halt of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The ship can carry up to 7,000,000 barrels of crude per day to the Red Sea Port of Yanbu. In May, Aramco's CEO said that approximately...

The Kremlin stated on Friday that the European Union must consider Ukraine's suspected role in blowing up a Nord Stream gas pipeline in September 2022, when deciding whether or not to grant EU membership for Kyiv. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesman, was commenting on German federal prosecutors charging a former Ukrainian officer with being involved in the blasts. The man, identified only as Serhii, was accused of co-perpetrating a war crimes and acting for?Ukrainian government entities. The authorities in Kyiv stated on Thursday that they didn't have enough information about the case to be able to answer in detail the...

A Moscow car dealer is struggling to meet the 'demand' for new electric vehicles imported from China, as drivers try to avoid a fuel shortage that has caused long queues and skyrocketing prices in much of Russia. In recent weeks, the escalating Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure has caused gasoline and diesel to be restricted in many regions. According to calculations, retail gasoline prices have reached some of the highest levels ever recorded in Europe. The Russian EV market has been slowed by the harsh climate and distances in Russia. Some motorists are switching to EVs because of the...

According to a government directive, India has permitted 'four Chinese manufacturers of power equipment with factories in the country' to participate in governmental tenders for critical 'power projects. The order from the Indian Ministry of Finance, dated June 24, and reviewed by said, allows TBEA Energy to participate in tenders. The document stated that India's Power Ministry?had requested the exemption in January of entities with manufacturing units located in India involved in critical energy projects. In January, it was reported that India is looking at a broader relaxation of the rules for Chinese bidders to win government contracts. New Delhi...

India's coal-fired electricity generation surged in June to a near three-year high due to increased cooling demand from higher temperatures caused by an extended heatwave, and lower-than-average rainfall during the monsoon season. India's total electricity generation rose?10.4% in June from a year earlier to 178.31 kilowatt-hours. This is according to Grid-India, which calculated daily data. The data shows that coal-fired electricity generation increased by 14% on an annual basis to 120.20 billionkWh in June, which is the highest level since November 2023. According to data from the weather office, India's June was its fifth-driest since 1901, due to an El...

In Moscow, a car dealership struggles to keep up with the demand for new electric vehicles. Drivers are looking to avoid a fuel crisis which has caused long queues and skyrocketing prices in much of Russia. In recent weeks, the escalating Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure has caused gasoline and diesel to be scarce. This has led to restrictions in many regions. According to calculations, retail gasoline prices have reached some of the highest levels ever seen in Europe. The vast distances between cities in Russia, the harsh climate and the limited charging infrastructure have all contributed to the...

Three?trade-and-industry sources? said on?Thursday that oil shipments from Russia’s western ports reached a record in 'June, and they are expected to continue at this level in 'July. This is because ongoing drone attacks against domestic refineries will force Moscow to increase crude exports. According to sources, exports from the Baltic port of Primorsk, Ust-Luga and the Black Sea Port of Novorossiysk amounted to nearly 3,000,000 barrels of oil per day in the month of June. The?sources stated that loadings will be close to 3,000,000 bpd in this month. They added that the capacity of the seaports limits the shipments and...

An industry source said that oil production has been restored at the Karachaganak gas field in Kazakhstan, amid increasing natural gas production and increasing supplies to the Russian gas plant just across the border. After the drone attack by Ukraine on Orenburg's gas processing plant on June 24, Kazakhstan cut?gas production? at its Karachaganak Oil and Gas Condensate Field. The oil and gas output of Karachaganak is closely related, so the field cannot produce much if its production of gas is low. In an emailed comment, the?ministry said that gas supplies had already resumed on?June 26 and were flowing at...

German Federal prosecutors announced on Thursday that a 'Ukrainian citizen linked to the Nord Stream Pipeline explosions was?charged as a 'complice of a war crime and disruption of public services. He also faces charges for causing an explosive to occur, and destroying buildings. Serhii, or K as the suspect, is known to German privacy laws, is suspected of acting for?Ukrainian government entities along with other military staff, in order to?destroy pipelines in the year 2022. Prosecutors alleged that the goal was to stop gas deliveries via pipelines permanently and to prevent Russia from using revenue from the natural gas trade...

In a speech to the European Commission in Baku, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said that up to EUR200m ($228m) would be provided as grant funding for boosting transport, energy, and digital links across 'the South Caucasus. Von der Leyen met with Azerbaijani president?Ilham Alyeev along with EU Enlargement commissioner Marta Kos. She said the initiative was intended to support peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia through strengthening regional connectivity and providing targeted assistance to local communities. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at war for nearly four decades, over the mountainous region Nagorno Karabakh. They reached a...

German federal prosecutors 'have filed charges against a Ukrainian citizen over 'the Nord Stream pipeline explosions, ARD, Sueddeutsche... and Zeit,?German media outlets reported on Wednesday. Federal prosecutors declined comment. The explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipelines that carried Russian gas into Europe was a major flashpoint between Moscow and 'the West. It came just months after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. According to ARD, prosecutors accuse a Ukrainian national known as Serhii K - according to German privacy laws - of 'attacks on civil energy infrastructure, causing explosions and destroying structures. The suspect was detained in Italy's Rimini...

Alexei Likhachev, the CEO of Rosatom, said that fuel shortages had prompted a rise in demand for electric vehicles. He predicted that this would lead more drivers to choose battery-powered cars. Fuel restrictions have been imposed across the country due to intensifying Ukrainian strikes against Russian energy infrastructure. Likhachev, a reporter, said: "We have already seen a significant rise in the use of our electric charging stations." He said that between June 21 and 28 the demand for Rosatom's?over 290 stations of charging rose by 40%. Likhachev said that although the current situation is unlikely to lead to an immediate...