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Data shows that few tankers are entering the port of Hormuz for oil loading, but LNG floating storage is increasing.
Shipping data revealed on Monday that the number of ships transiting?Strait?of Hormuz remained low over the weekend, as Iran and the United States intensified their attacks in the Middle East. Data from LSEG shows that four vessels crossed the strait on Sunday, compared to eight the day before. The data showed that at least three oil product tankers and a Very Large Crude Carrier entered the strait to load oil since Friday. LSEG data includes transit of container ships, bulkers and vehicle carriers as well as tankers carrying oil, gas, and chemicals. The U.S. announced on Sunday that it had carried out an eighth night of attacks against Iran. Meanwhile, U.S. Allies Kuwait and Bahrain also reported further Iranian attacks. Both sides have targeted shipping traffic in recent days. The U.S. has said it enforces a naval blocade against Iranian ports. Iran says it targets vessels that violate its rules for navigating the Strait of Hormuz which handles about one-fifth of the global oil trade. The 'United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Agency' said on Monday that it received a report indicating a vessel on fire eight nautical miles (14.8km) northwest of Oman’s Kumzar. UKMTO stated that the cause of fire has not been confirmed. Since Thursday, no liquefied gas tankers were visible in the Strait. Transponders are sometimes turned off by tankers and other vessels to hide their passage. S&P Global Energy's vessel tracking data showed that the combined 10-day average for laden LNG transits in the Strait fell to 0.2 cargoes a day on July 15, down from 0.8 cargoes a day at late June. The data revealed that only one LNG cargo has been 'known' to have left the Gulf in the last week. S&P Global analysts stated in a report that despite the disruptions to shipping outbound, LNG production at Qatar and the United Arab Emirates has continued at a fairly robust pace. This has led to an "increasing inventory" of LNG on tankers awaiting inside the Gulf. S&P Global estimates that seven laden Qatari LNG ships held around 0.57 million metric tonnes of LNG by mid-July, while nearly 1.9 millions tons of LNG tanker capacities are currently positioned inside the Gulf. This is the equivalent to around eight days worth of pre-war peak exports. The report added that "Should an effective blockage of Strait of Hormuz in the next few weeks ease, these vessels would be able to enable a relatively quick increase in exports by releasing LNG which has already been loaded and produced." Reporting by Florence Tan, Editing by Sonali and Lincoln Feast.
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Data shows that few tankers load oil in Hormuz.
Shipping data revealed on Monday that the number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz was low over the weekend, as both the United States and Iran intensified their attacks in the Middle East. Data from LSEG showed that only four vessels crossed the strait on Sunday, compared to eight the day before. Data from LSEG shows that at least three oil product tankers and one Very Large Crude Carrier entered the Strait since Friday to load up on oil. Since Thursday, there haven't been any liquefied gas tankers visible passing through the Strait. LSEG data includes transit of container ships, bulkers and vehicle carriers as well as tankers carrying oil, gas, and chemicals. The U.S. announced on Sunday that it had completed an eighth night of attacks against Iran. Meanwhile, U.S. ally Kuwait and Bahrain also reported further Iranian attacks. Both sides have been targeting shipping traffic in recent days. The U.S. has said it will enforce a naval blockade against Iranian ports. Iran says it will target vessels that violate its rules on navigating the Strait of Hormuz. This is the area where one-fifth of the global oil trade usually takes place.
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West Africa's ECOWAS group signss agreement supporting Nigeria-Morocco atlantic Gas Pipeline, reports a statement
According to a Moroccan-Nigerian statement, member states of the Economic Community of West African States signed an intergovernmental agreement in 'Freetown on Sunday backing the 'Nigeria - Morocco Atlantic gas pipeline. According to a joint?statement?by Morocco’s hydrocarbons & mining agency ONHYM & Nigeria’s state oil firm NNPC, the pipeline will transport up to 30 billion cube metres (bcms) of natural gases a year through 13?West African nations to Morocco. The statement stated that 15 bcm of that capacity will be?available for Moroccan and European markets via an?existing pipe that links 'Morocco with Spain. The pipeline was agreed upon a decade earlier between the Moroccan King, and the Nigerian President. It would cover 6,900 km along a hybrid off-shore-onshore route, and cost an estimated $25 billion. The project has completed the feasibility study and front end engineering design (FEED). OnHYM told the public in April that the pipeline would help spur "economic integration" across West Africa, by facilitating industrial development and increasing electricity generation, while helping Morocco establish itself as an energy bridge between Africa, and Europe. According to the statement, the next step is the?signing a deal 'between Morocco and the gas-rich Mauritania.
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Infrastructure targets achieved as EU charging network exceeds EV sales
According to a report published by the advocacy group Transport & Environment on Monday, the charging infrastructure in 'the European Union' has outpaced the e-car sales. All member states, except Malta, have already met the public charging requirements of the bloc based on the size their EV?"fleets. The findings contradict 'arguments made by some carmakers, that insufficient charging networks and soft demand justifies a slower shift away from internal-combustion engines. T&E’s analysis shows that charging capacity is increasing faster than battery-electric vehicles. T&E reports that the EU has exceeded the AFIR fleet-based charging goal by 180%.
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Boeing to deliver Air Force One by 2028, but costs will rise
Boeing announced on Sunday that it is still on track to deliver the two new Air Force One aircraft in 2028. However, achieving this target will require more'spending' on a program which was already many years behind schedule and millions of dollars over budget. Boeing won a $3.9billion contract to build the aircraft in 2018, but costs have since risen to over $5billion. The aircraft will replace the Air Force One planes that entered service in 1990. Steve Parker, CEO of Defense, Space & Security, said to reporters in advance of the Farnborough Airshow, that the 'first aircraft will begin testing next year. "I expect some cost increases as we complete the wiring, the structures and our own certifications." In May 2025, the United States accepted from Qatar a luxury Boeing 747-8 for temporary use as a presidential aircraft. Since then, the jet has been used as a bridge aircraft. 'Security concerns caused President Donald Trump not to fly the Qatari Jet home from Turkey and instead chose to return aboard a?older Air Force One. Air Force One is a program that involves the conversion of two Boeing 747-8 aircraft to highly specialized jets,?equipped? with advanced communication and?defensive?systems. The program will still be four years behind schedule even if it is delivered in 2028. (Reporting and editing by Sharon Singleton; Joe Brock)
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The passenger ship that sank off the coast of Guyana is believed to have taken dozens of people with it.
Guyana authorities report that a ferry with 116 passengers, including 15 children, has sunk off the coast of Guyana, in South America, late Saturday night. 67 people, including those who were rescued, have been rescued. According to local media, an air traffic control tower received the distress call from the MV Barima at 11:01 pm on Saturday night, which triggered a search and rescue mission. The ferry capsized, along with?17 other crew members,?off of the North 'Atlantic Coast on its way to Port Kaituma. The ferry's departure point was not known. At a Sunday morning press conference, Prime Minister Mark Phillips stated that the operation will continue until 'all efforts have been exhausted. Deodat indar, Guyana's Minister for Public Utilities and Aviation?said that emergency family support centers had been set up?to give families information and assistance. Reporting by Kemol King, Deisy Bugtrago and Emily Green. Editing by Chizu Nimiyama.
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Boeing focuses on production at Farnborough Airshow, not new orders
Boeing's head of commercial aircraft unit announced on?Sunday that the company is examining a?new?round of _production increases? for its best-selling 737 MAX, after it received regulator approval in may to increase production to 47 a monthly. Boeing was given an unprecedented production limit by the Federal Aviation Administration after a mid-air accident in 2024 revealed widespread safety and quality lapses. Stephanie Pope, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, told reporters during a roundtable before the Farnborough Airshow that the company uses its safety management system to determine when it is stable enough to move to the next rating. "I have the team focused on stabilising 47." We'll move to 52 once we reach 47. Then we'll continue to study that. She said that the company's focus at the show is on increasing and improving aircraft production. "Not order announcement," she added. The backlog is extremely strong. The demand is not a problem. Pope said that if we announced some orders along with the process, we would 'celebrate' with our customers depending on whether they wanted to. She said that the priority of 'the planemaker is to listen' to its customers and suppliers at this biennial event, which brings together executives of many of the industry's biggest companies. She said, "We will?understand what their challenges are and then update them on our product," (Reporting and editing by Sharon Singleton in London, with David Shepardson reporting from London)
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Israeli officials claim that Israel will receive additional US refuelling aircraft as Iran's attacks intensify.
An Israeli military official revealed on Sunday that Israel is preparing for more refuelling aircraft from the United States, as attacks by 'the United States' and Iran have intensified over the last week. Since a ceasefire agreement signed one month ago fell apart, the U.S. has intensified its strikes against Iran. This raises the possibility that a full-scale war could return. Israel has not been involved in the latest U.S. strikes. According to the?Israeli official, the U.S. has "decided" to "adjust its force posture in this region" and "to reinforce the current fleet of aerial fuelling aircraft stationed at Israel with additional refuelling planes." A senior Israeli official also said that dozens of U.S. fuelling planes are expected to arrive in Israel. The U.S. Embassy at?Jerusalem did not respond to a request for comment. Since the conflict started with?U.S. Since the conflict began with?U.S. Axios, citing three U.S. officials and Israeli officials on Friday, reported that the Trump Administration notified Israel of its intention to send dozens of additional refuelling aircraft to the country in anticipation of an expansion of military operations against Iran. According to an Israeli military official, in order to reduce disruptions of civilian air traffic and based upon operational and?logistical concerns, the U.S. chose to station some refueling aircraft at?Israeli?Air?Force bases" as well as commercial airports. Sharon Kedmi said in May that 70% of Ben Gurion's?activity was restricted?because the U.S. military activities were taking up space and resources. According to a spokesperson of Transport Minister Miri regev, the U.S. has agreed to transfer some aircraft from American bases to Israeli Air Force bases. The spokesperson stated that as of June 25, there were 98 U.S. aircraft in Israel. (Reporting and editing by Steven Scheer, Maayan Loubell, Aidan Lewis).
Special Report-Iran consolidates control of Hormuz through island checkpoints and diplomatic deals, as well as sometimes 'fees.'
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 clearing vessels across the Strait of Hormuz. With Iran now in de ?facto control of the strait, the system can involve government-to-government arrangements, intense vetting by the Iranian government and sometimes fees in exchange for safe passage, has found. The ship's progress in Vietnam, Iraq and Greece was closely monitored by two people, who were interviewed by. The transponder would go dark periodically, but I was still able to sail on the Agios Fenourios. A projectile struck another ship nearby that day and caused a small fire.
The Agios Fanourios 1 icon was displayed on screens late May 10. According to an Iranian official, speedboats from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stopped the tanker as it passed?Hormuz Island.
The IRGC soldiers who were initially letting the ship through the strait now order the ship to stop. The Iranian official stated that there was a suspicion of smuggled goods and they wanted to inspect the vessel.
The vessel was given Iranian permission to continue a few hours later. This turned what would normally be a five-hour journey through the Strait into a two day ordeal.
One of the people who was monitoring the trip said, "Once we heard that Agios had passed Hormuz we breathed a huge sigh,"
Eastern Mediterranean Shipping, the manager of the ship, and six other people who knew about the passage confirmed that no payments had been made.
Konstantinos Sakellaridis wrote that he had "reasons to believe" that Iranians were oblivious to the transit Agios Fanourios I due to pressure from Iraq and Vietnam.
The Iranian government has not responded to requests for comments about the new mechanism, or the voyage of the Agios fanourios I. Iran’s grip on Strait of Hormuz - the conduit for a fifth of global oil supply - has caused the world economy to be in turmoil. In order to reveal how Iran has been consolidating its control over the strategic chokepoint, we interviewed 20 people who had knowledge of this evolving mechanism. These included Asian and European shipping officials and Iranian and Iraqi official, as well as Iranian and Iraqi officials. We also reviewed Iranian documents relating to the vetting procedure and analysed the movements of ships. Together, these documents provide a rare glimpse into the Iranian scheme, in which the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps plays a key role.
The sensitive nature of the topic made all sources request anonymity. Some details about the Agios fanourios I's journey could not be independently confirmed, but they matched the accounts of multiple maritime officials who were involved in managing the same route and navigating it for cargo ships as well as tankers.
According to the U.S. Military, by early May, there were around 1,500 vessels in the Gulf with 22,500 sailors on board. This bottleneck is caused by Iran's ability, from the coast of the Gulf, to hit ships in the strait. The conflict has become the worst energy crisis in history, according to the head of the International Energy Agency. The U.S. Navy responded by imposing a blockade on Iranian ships and their cargo, with a cordon around the Strait.
A trickle of ships have made it through the waterway. According to an unpublished analysis from the U.S. company SynMax Intelligence, between April 18 and may 6, less than 60 ships passed through. In the days before the war, 120-140 ships would pass through the strait every day. About half were oil tankers.
U.S. laws prohibit American citizens from transacting with the Iranian government. Non-Americans who deal with Iranian entities may also be subject to "secondary sanctions". Many Western governments also maintain their own restrictions and sanctions relating to Iran. The U.S. Treasury Department released a statement May 1 warning about the risks associated with making payments to the Iranian regime or obtaining guarantees from them for safe passage.
The new Iranian mechanism includes a tiered system giving preference to ships linked to its allies Russia and China, followed by countries such as India and Pakistan with close ties to Tehran, and then government-to-government agreements that let vessels like the Agios Fanourios I pass, found.
The U.S. Department of Treasury responded to questions about the system by saying that it was prepared to take action against foreign companies supporting illicit Iranian trade.
It is not possible to determine independently how many ships have used this scheme. Iran said that ships connected to the United States and Israel, who launched aerial attacks against Iran in late-February, may not be allowed to cross the Strait.
Two European shipping sources said some vessels that aren't covered by government-to-government deals are paying Iranian authorities upwards of $150,000 to secure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Two senior Iranian officials said that security and navigation fees are charged to ships, but the amount varies depending on the cargo. Two senior Iranian officials did not provide specific figures but said that "not all countries pay these fees."
Could not independently confirm whether the amount levied against vessels or the total amount flowing into Iranian coffers was accurate.
"THE NEW NORMS" Under international maritime law governments are not allowed to charge for the safe passage of a strait. As long as all ships are treated equally, fees can be charged for security or service. Secrets are kept about these payments and the names ship owners who paid Iranian authorities for their vessels to be retrieved, because such payments would violate U.S. sanctions against Iran's government. Could not determine the method of transfer or which Iranian entity received the money.
According to two maritime insurance specialists, in addition to being charged, violators will also lose their insurance coverage if they make payments to the IRGC that would benefit it, as?it is a terrorist organization internationally designated.
Danny Citrinowicz is a former Israeli Intelligence officer who specializes in Iran research and analyses.
Citrinowicz said that the Iranian regime's approval was required to open or close the Straits. He is currently working at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. "Some will pass through due to political alliances. Others will pay a fee, and others will be sent back. "This is the new normal."
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to Iran's findings regarding its new control system, called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and expressed concern about "future arrangements" for the strait.
The statement from the Ministry said that "such arrangements should comply with the law and practice of international law, and take into consideration the legitimate security concerns and demands of coastal states as well as the legitimate claims of regional countries and international community."
Checking for affiliation
According to three Iranian and one European source, outside of government agreements the process for securing Iranian permission to transit includes a detailed vetting by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's elite combat force. According to the sources, the IRGC examines a document called an affiliation that is provided by a ship operator or owner and submitted via an intermediary.
The European shipping source said that the affiliation check was to determine if there were any connections between the vessel and the U.S. The Guards review documents for about a week, and they may also want to inspect the ship during this time, according to the source.
According to documents sent by Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority to sources in the shipping industry, the IRGC requires shipowners to disclose information including the value and origin of the ship's cargo as well as the nationalities of its crew. In recent weeks, the authority was established to tax and approve vessel transits.
According to three senior Iranian officials, the vetting of ships is done by Iranian state institutions, including the Ports and Maritime Organization, Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, national shipping organization, and security overseer of Supreme National Security Council. Officials said that the IRGC which oversees Iranian security is also involved in evaluating the vessels.
The countries must also contact Iran's Foreign Minister to ask for permission. One of the officials stated that the minister then forwards them to the Supreme National Security Council which includes representatives of Mojtaba Khamenei and the IRGC.
The official added that "a decision is made and then communicated to all relevant bodies, including the IRGC," he said. The official added that the IRGC gives the necessary coordinates and instructions for safe passage.
According to two sources familiar with the deal, the Iraqi government and its state-owned oil marketer SOMO worked together to negotiate a deal with Iran for the Agios Fanourios I under the supervision then-Iraqi Premier Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
Three Iraqi officials from the oil ministry said that they had sent the Iranians the crew and manifest information for the Agios fanourios I before the passage.
The Iraqi government has not responded to a question about its arrangements with Iranian officials or details about Agios Fanourios.
Other countries have negotiated different agreements. India is one of them. It imports 90% of its oil and 50% of its natural gas. A large portion of this passes through Hormuz.
According to an official in the Indian shipping ministry, New Delhi uses its embassy at Tehran to communicate with Iranian authorities including the IRGC, the Iranian navy and other Iranian agencies. These entities vet the ships India wants to leave the Gulf.
"Once all is verified, the captain of the ship is given a course to follow and the ship leaves the area under the guidance of the Iran Navy. Officials said that captains were strictly instructed to adhere to the "given route". He added that ships are instructed to turn off location transponders, and to not use satellite communication.
An Indian source familiar with the process said that after Iran gives permission, the Indian Navy contacts the shipmasters of Indian flagged vessels in the Gulf directly and provides them with waypoints.
The Indian navy told us, too, that you should stop if they ask you to. The source stated that "if they tell you to move you should move," and we have been following these instructions.
India's Shipping Ministry announced on May 14 that 13 Indian flagged vessels had cleared the Strait of Hormuz while another 13 remain west of the waterway.
India, Russia Pakistan and Vietnam didn't respond to our requests for comments about Iran's control of the Strait.
FRAUGHT?
According to three Iranians and two sources from the shipping industry, clearing multiple Iranian waypoints is a common requirement for many ships as they leave the Gulf of Aden and enter the Strait of Hormuz. These are often manned by armed personnel.
The Agios fanourios I passed through the Iranian military checkpoints in Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Larak. These coordinates were verified using the publicly available location data of the ship and other sources that knew about similar journeys.
According to an Iranian official who was familiar with that incident, when the vessel approached Hormuz Island at the mouth of the strait it was briefly halted by the IRGC speedboats. He claimed that there was some information on possible smuggled goods aboard.
He said that the information was incorrect. After a short period of confusion, the Agios fanourios I resumed its journey.
The Indian shipping industry source stated that a similar chaotic communication was likely the cause of an attack on two Indian flagged ships trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz in the last month. Indian sailors trapped in the Gulf are scared by these incidents.
The Indian shipping source said that these ships do not have any armor or other protection. "The bullets penetrate through." He added that the only targets for shooters are the crew quarters. "They cannot shoot at the tanks, because they are carrying flammable liquids."
A bulk carrier sailed by an Indian sailor through the Strait of Hormuz. The ship waited for permission from the IRGC before it left the Gulf. The Iranian navy then established contact and instructed the ship to proceed towards Larak Island. The naval officials then ordered the captain of the ship to reveal the details about the ship and display its flag. They began talking with the shipping company. The Iranians asked repeatedly about the crew's nationality.
He said that "after a few hours, the IRGC gave the captain a route." The ship, escorted by smaller Iranian navy vessels, was instructed to steer with caution for fear of mines. He said, "It was an incredibly frightening sight." "I cannot even imagine in my wildest fantasies going to sea during a conflict."
Even if vessels make it to the other side of the Strait of Hormuz the ordeal may not be over. The Agio Fanourios 1 was caught in the U.S. Navy blockade a day after leaving Iranian waters. The tanker was tethered to a triangle for six days as the American military processed its paperwork.
"U.S. "U.S. forces ordered the Malta-flagged ship to turn around in order to enforce the ongoing blockade," Capt. Tim Hawkins is the spokesperson for U.S. Central Command.
Sakellaridis said that Vietnam had pressured the United States into letting the ship through. He said there was no reason to stop it in the first place because "the vessel and cargo did not have any Iranian involvement."
It is not possible to determine how many ships the Americans have stopped since the blockade began on April 13th. The Agio Fanourios I, which was seized on April 13, was released without explanation on May 16. The ship is loaded with 2,000,000 barrels of crude oil and will be heading to Vietnam. Reporting by Devjyot Sharma in New Delhi, Gavin Finch, Gavin Finch, Gavin Rasheed, Parisa Hafezi, Ahmed Rasheed, in Baghdad. Florence Tan, Jonathan Saul and Nerijus Adomatis contributed additional reporting. Rene Maltezou, Sunil Kataria, Sunil Adomaitis and Florence Tan also provided editing. Lori Hinnant edited the article.
(source: Reuters)