krogragg

Category: Middle East

  • VLCC day rates rocket above half‑million dollars

    VLCC day rates rocket above half‑million dollars Amid soaring tanker rates, a US‑led naval coalition has warned shipping that stationary vessels and ships on predictable routes are “credible” targets for sabotage across the Middle East, after a tanker linked to the Stena‑Sonangol suezmax pool was struck off the Iraqi coast. The Combined Maritime Forces’ Joint…

  • 3,200 ships caught up in Hormuz paralysis

    3,200 ships caught up in Hormuz paralysis VLCC freight surged to extraordinary theoretical levels on Monday as the war between Iran and the US‑Israel coalition roiled shipping in the Persian Gulf, with some 3,200 vessels stuck in the region. The benchmark TD3C from the Middle East to China was quoted at $423,700 a day, up…

  • Hormuz shutdown ramifications: Oil price hike to hit $100 as Asia-Europe LNG battle looms

    Hormuz shutdown ramifications: Oil price hike to hit $100 as Asia-Europe LNG battle looms As the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 15% of global oil and 20% of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply flows, evokes fears of a major energy shock, analysts at Wood Mackenzie, an energy intelligence group, have warned…

  • Houthis vow to resume attacks following Iranian strikes

    Houthis vow to resume attacks following Iranian strikes With the US and Israel attacking Iran on Saturday, Iranian allies, the Houthis from Yemen, have vowed to resume attacks on commercial shipping in and around the Red Sea, bringing to a close a four-month cessation of violence at sea.  Shipping organisation BIMCO suggested ships with business…

  • Opposition to ZIM’s sale to Hapag-Lloyd grows

    Opposition to ZIM’s sale to Hapag-Lloyd grows Opposition to Hapag-Lloyd’s planned takeover of Israeli line ZIM is growing, with union protests and the controversial sale debated at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, yesterday. Hapag-Lloyd unveiled a $4.2bn takeover offer for ZIM a week ago (pictured), in a deal that would carve out a ‘New ZIM’ made…

  • Splash Wrap: ZIM sale tops the agenda

    Splash Wrap: ZIM sale tops the agenda A planned $4.2bn sale of ZIM to Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd sparked protests and a strike in Israel this week. Under the structure outlined, Hapag-Lloyd will acquire ZIM and then carve out its Israeli operations into a separate entity to be controlled by FIMI. The new company, to be known…

  • Denmark detains sanctioned boxship

    Denmark detains sanctioned boxship Denmark’s maritime authority on Thursday detained an Iran-flagged container vessel anchored in Danish waters after determining it was not properly registered. LSEG data identify the ship as Nora, which was initially sailing under a Comoros flag. The Danish authority said Comoros had informed it the vessel was not found in the…

  • ZIM sets out terms of $4.2bn Hapag-Lloyd deal, outlines New ZIM carve-out

    ZIM sets out terms of $4.2bn Hapag-Lloyd deal, outlines New ZIM carve-out New York-listed Israeli carrier ZIM Integrated Shipping Services has laid out the full terms of its agreed sale, confirming shareholders will receive $35 per share in cash under a merger deal that values the company at about $4.2bn. The price represents a 58%…

  • NextGeo vessel en route to Middle East to support Saipem

    NextGeo vessel en route to Middle East to support Saipem Next Geosolutions’ recently purchased offshore subsea construction vessel (OSCV) is currently en route from […] The post NextGeo vessel en route to Middle East to support Saipem appeared first on Offshore Energy. Nadja Skopljak Go to offshore energy biz

  • Hapag-Lloyd closes in on Zim takeover

    Hapag-Lloyd closes in on Zim takeover Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd has confirmed it is in advanced negotiations to acquire all shares in Israeli rival Zim Integrated Shipping Services in a deal reported to be worth up to $3.7bn. In a brief statement, the Hamburg-based carrier said no binding agreement has yet been signed and that approvals from…

  • Sulayem ousted at DP World over Epstein links

    Sulayem ousted at DP World over Epstein links Dubai-headquartered terminal operator DP World moved to replace one of the ports sector’s most recognisable figures on Friday after newly released US Department of Justice files tied CEO and chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem to the child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Dubai‑based logistics group announced Essa…

  • AD Ports secures 30-year concession to run Aqaba multipurpose terminal

    AD Ports secures 30-year concession to run Aqaba multipurpose terminal AD Ports Group is expanding its regional port footprint, signing a 30-year concession with Aqaba Development Corporation to manage and operate Jordan’s Aqaba multipurpose port. Under the deal, AD Ports will take a 70% stake in a new joint venture, with Aqaba Development Corporation holding…

  • Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to route one Gemini service through Red Sea

    Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to route one Gemini service through Red Sea Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are set to resume Red Sea transits on one of their shared Gemini Cooperation services, marking a cautious step back into the corridor after months of widespread diversions around the Cape of Good Hope. The Danish and German carriers said the…

  • Rex lines up jackup rig offshore Oman

    Rex lines up jackup rig offshore Oman Singapore-listed Rex International is pressing ahead with offshore development drilling in Oman after its unit Masirah Oil secured a jackup rig for work at the Yumna field. Masirah Oil said its parent company, Rex Oman, has signed a contract for the Energy Emerger jackup drilling rig, operated by…

  • US sanctions another nine vessels linked to Iran

    US sanctions another nine vessels linked to Iran Friday saw the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) slap sanctions on nine more shadow fleet vessels and their respective owners or management firms over their ties to Iran. “The Iranian regime is engaged in a ritual of economic self-immolation—a process that…

  • Houthis tease new strikes amid US carrier build‑up in the Gulf

    Houthis tease new strikes amid US carrier build‑up in the Gulf As a US carrier strike group makes its way to the Gulf, a familiar foe to commercial shipping has reared its head for the first time in months.  A video titled ‘Soon’ published overnight by the Houthis, carried below, suggests the Iranian-backed Yemeni military…

  • Early dark fleet leader quits shipping

    Early dark fleet leader quits shipping Radiating World Services, one of the more recognisable names linked to the so-called dark fleet, has exited VesselsValue’s fleet database.  A vessel most closely associated with the outfit has meanwhile changed hands twice in short order. The ship in question is the 2006-built LR2 tanker Eastern Pearl (115,300 dwt),…

  • AD Ports buys into Spanish shipbuilding with Astilleros Balenciaga takeover

    AD Ports buys into Spanish shipbuilding with Astilleros Balenciaga takeover AD Ports Group has moved deeper into European shipbuilding after snapping up Spain’s Astilleros Balenciaga shipyard, strengthening its push into offshore wind support vessels. The Abu Dhabi-listed group said its drydocks arm Safeen Drydocks, part of Noatum Maritime, has acquired 100% of the Basque-based yard…

  • CMA CGM signals caution by rerouting services away from Suez Canal

    CMA CGM signals caution by rerouting services away from Suez Canal CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest liner, has provided a counter-narrative to the many analysts expecting liners to flock back to the Suez Canal following the Houthis’ three-month-long ceasefire on merchant shipping.  Citing the “complex and uncertain international context”, the French liner today announced that…

  • Splash Wrap: Global seaborne trading map redrawn

    Splash Wrap: Global seaborne trading map redrawn The US said it will target ‘dozens’ of Venezuela‑linked tankers in a serious shadow fleet squeeze. Thursday saw a sixth tanker apprehended by US forces, while Vitol and Trafigura became the first international companies to start shipping oil out of Venezuela since the January 3 ousting of Nicolas…

  • What Maersk’s return to the Red Sea means for carrier profits in 2026

    What Maersk’s return to the Red Sea means for carrier profits in 2026 News yesterday that Danish carrier Maersk is taking its first structural step back into the Red Sea has analysts voicing caution that this could mark the start of big shift from the Cape of Good Hope through the Suez with a significant…

  • Saipem hires Rana Subsea for job in Middle East as NextGeo enriches fleet with new vessel

    Saipem hires Rana Subsea for job in Middle East as NextGeo enriches fleet with new vessel Italy-headquartered engineering, drilling, and construction services giant Saipem has booked Rana Subsea, a subsidiary of Next Geosolutions (NextGeo), for an assignment in the Middle East. NextGeo has now strengthened its fleet with a new vessel specifically designed for the…

  • Maersk heads back to the Red Sea

    Maersk heads back to the Red Sea Danish carrier Maersk, the world’s second largest liner, has taken its first structural step back into the Red Sea, deciding to reroute its MECL service, connecting the Middle East and India with the US east coast, through the Suez Canal after months of Cape of Good Hope diversions.…

  • Asyad Shipping steps up VLCC expansion with fresh Hanwha Ocean order

    Asyad Shipping steps up VLCC expansion with fresh Hanwha Ocean order Oman’s Asyad Shipping has added further weight to its crude tanker ambitions, signing contracts for three new VLCCs at South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean. The state-linked owner, part of the Asyad Group logistics platform, confirmed it placed the order, covering three 300,000 dwt newbuilds at…

  • TotalEnergies offloads oil stakes in Nigerian JV and sets up Middle East’s new trading player

    TotalEnergies offloads oil stakes in Nigerian JV and sets up Middle East’s new trading player France’s energy giant TotalEnergies has taken steps to divest its oil interest in Renaissance joint venture (JV), formerly SPDC JV, licenses in Nigeria to Vaaris and breathe life into BxT Trading, a new trading company for petroleum products in the…

  • Suez traffic still 60% down 100 days after last Houthi attack

    Suez traffic still 60% down 100 days after last Houthi attack Suez Canal traffic remains sharply lower more than three months after the last reported Houthi attack, underlining how slow ship operators have been to return to the Red Sea route. According to BIMCO, it has now been 100 days since the last vessel was…

  • XT Shipping linked to four-boxship deal at Hengli

    XT Shipping linked to four-boxship deal at Hengli Israel’s XT Shipping has returned to the newbuilding market with a series of midsize containership orders in China, underlining renewed confidence in the container sector. Shipbroking sources say the Tel Aviv-based owner is behind an order for four 6,000 teu containerships at Hengli Shipbuilding, with delivery scheduled…

  • Baker Hughes enhancing production at oil & gas fields in Middle East

    Baker Hughes enhancing production at oil & gas fields in Middle East Thanks to a deal with Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), the U.S.-headquartered energy technology giant Baker Hughes is on a mission to help boost production from oil and gas fields in Kuwait, Middle East. The post Baker Hughes enhancing production at oil & gas…

  • Middle East sends its calling card to GMS’ large-class vessel

    Middle East sends its calling card to GMS’ large-class vessel Gulf Marine Services (GMS), a UAE-headquartered provider of self‐propelled, self‐elevating support vessels for the offshore energy sector, has landed a new long-term assignment for one of its large‐class vessels in the Middle East. The post Middle East sends its calling card to GMS’ large-class vessel appeared…

  • Gulf Marine Services wins European contracts for liftboat pair

    Gulf Marine Services wins European contracts for liftboat pair London-listed liftboat operator Gulf Marine Services (GMS) has won new contracts for two of its vessels. The contracts cover the use of two Large-class vessels in Europe. It spans a total of 985 days and will see the vessels continue to support offshore operations across the…

  • Saipem scores another massive deal from QatarEnergy

    Saipem scores another massive deal from QatarEnergy Italian energy services contractor Saipem, in partnership with COOEC, has been awarded an offshore EPCI contract for worth on the North Field worth $4bn by Qatar’s state-owned company QatarEnergy. The contract is for the so-called COMP5 package of the North Field Production Sustainability Offshore Compression Complexes project. The…

  • Maersk carries out first Red Sea transit in almost two years

    Maersk carries out first Red Sea transit in almost two years In the early morning on December 19, the 2007-built Singapore-flagged boxship Maersk Sebarok completed a transit through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and into the Red Sea. This marks the first time a Maersk vessel transited the strait in almost two years. The company stated…

  • Zamil Offshore takes over Remøy Shipping

    Zamil Offshore takes over Remøy Shipping Saudi Arabia’s Zamil Offshore Services Company (ZOSCO) has taken a decisive step into the Norwegian offshore market with the acquisition of Remøy Shipping for an undisclosed sum.T The deal, which also includes Rem Stadt and RS Crewing, secures the future of Remøy Shipping after more than a century under…

  • Global liners look at acquiring ZIM

    Global liners look at acquiring ZIM Hapag-Lloyd is seeking to acquire ZIM, Israel’s largest container carrier, according to multiple media outlets, but the move is already running into resistance from ZIM’s workers’ committee, which has warned that the presence of Qatari and Saudi sovereign funds among the German carrier’s shareholders could pose a national security…

  • Top Ships lines up $200m Dubai property grab from CEO

    Top Ships lines up $200m Dubai property grab from CEO Greece’s Top Ships is preparing to diversify again with a move into Dubai real estate through a deal tied to its chief executive and major shareholder, Evangelos Pistiolis. The New York-listed tanker owner has signed a letter of intent to acquire all or part of…

  • Splash Wrap: All eyes on the Suez Canal

    Splash Wrap: All eyes on the Suez Canal The Suez Canal Authority was in bullish form this week, suggesting that many shipping companies are readying to ditch the Cape of Good Hope and return to Red Sea transits, something that will have an enormous impact on freight rates.  Diana Shipping made its move on New…

  • ADES picks up $63m Brunei jackup deal

    ADES picks up $63m Brunei jackup deal Saudi oil and gas driller ADES has landed a fresh two-year contract for the Compact Driller jackup with Brunei Shell Petroleum, marking its first award since completing the acquisition of Shelf Drilling. The deal, worth around SAR 236m ($63m), was secured through Shelf Drilling, now a wholly owned…

  • Maersk holds off on date for Suez return

    Maersk holds off on date for Suez return A Maersk spokesperson says the company has not set a firm date for resuming Suez Canal sailings, despite the Suez Canal Authority announcing an early-December comeback for the Danish carrier. In a statement, Maersk said it intends to restore navigation on the East–West corridor “as soon as…

  • Emarat Maritime emerges behind Hengli’s six-tanker series

    Emarat Maritime emerges behind Hengli’s six-tanker series Dubai’s Emarat Maritime has made a move into tanker newbuildings, emerging as the owner behind a sextet of LR2 product carriers ordered at China’s Hengli Shipbuilding. Industry players said the Sharaf Group–owned company is the buyer of the six 114,000 dwt aframax/LR2 units recently revealed by the yard.…

  • US targets sprawling Iranian shadow fleet network in latest sanctions drive

    US targets sprawling Iranian shadow fleet network in latest sanctions drive The United States has unveiled one of its most extensive crackdowns to date on the Iranian oil-ecosystem, blacklisting a web of front companies, intermediaries and tankers that Washington says bankroll Tehran’s armed forces through clandestine crude sales. The action, announced overnight by the US…

  • Splash Wrap: Bridges, bombs, bottlenecks

    Splash Wrap: Bridges, bombs, bottlenecks The Black Sea entered one of its most volatile phases as Ukraine and Russia escalated long-range strikes on each other’s critical energy and port infrastructure, leaving commercial shipping exposed to huge levels of risk. Latest shipping traffic data points toward a rise in Suez Canal transits, with authorities in Egypt…

  • CMA CGM and AD Ports push ahead with Khalifa port terminal expansion

    CMA CGM and AD Ports push ahead with Khalifa port terminal expansion France’s CMA CGM Group and Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports have agreed to expand their joint container terminal at Khalifa Port, less than a year after the facility opened, driven by stronger-than-expected demand. CMA Terminals Khalifa Port — owned 70% by CMA CGM and…

  • Shelf Drilling rig going back to work for Aramco as suspension ends

    Shelf Drilling rig going back to work for Aramco as suspension ends Shelf Drilling, an offshore drilling player, has received a green light from Aramco, a Saudi Arabian drilling giant, which will enable one of its rigs to return to its drilling assignment in the Middle East after more than a year-long suspension. The post…

  • Hijacked tanker found in Iran’s familiar holding ground

    Hijacked tanker found in Iran’s familiar holding ground The Talara, a Marshall Islands-flagged product tanker, apprehended by the Iranian military on Friday has been tracked down. The vessel is moored in the Khuran Strait, north of Qeshm Island, a familiar location for vessels hijacked by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to TankerTrackers.com.  State…

  • Iran seizes tanker transiting the Gulf of Oman

    Iran seizes tanker transiting the Gulf of Oman A Marshall Islands–flagged crude oil tanker, Talara, has been apprehended today by three small boats belonging to the Iranian military whilst transiting the Gulf of Oman on a voyage from the United Arab Emirates to Singapore. The 73,371 dwt has since been redirected to the Iranian coastline.…

  • Splash Wrap: Flows shift again

    Splash Wrap: Flows shift again The Houthis officially announced that they have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a letter sent to Hamas’s military wing, Kata’ib al-Qassam, by the newly appointed Houthi chief of staff, Yousef Hassan Al-Madani, who succeeded…

  • Ashdod port invests in AI-driven vessel-tracking tech

    Ashdod port invests in AI-driven vessel-tracking tech Israel’s Ashdod port has taken a $650,000 stake in local maritime tech startup Azimut.ai following a successful pilot of the company’s AI-powered maritime awareness system, Albatross. The investment, made through the port’s Maritime Technology Hub (Blue Ocean CVC), follows a proof-of-concept that demonstrated the system’s ability to detect,…

  • Shipping hesitates on Red Sea return

    Shipping hesitates on Red Sea return Experts covering the Red Sea shipping crisis have advised caution over any swift return to the Middle Eastern tradelane. Yesterday, the Houthis officially announced that they have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a…

  • Houthis signal end to Red Sea attacks as shaky ceasefire holds

    Houthis signal end to Red Sea attacks as shaky ceasefire holds The Houthis have officially announced that they have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a letter (pictured below) sent to Hamas’s military wing, Kata’ib al-Qassam, by the newly appointed…

  • AD Ports buys into Syria’s Latakia terminal in CMA CGM deal

    AD Ports buys into Syria’s Latakia terminal in CMA CGM deal AD Ports Group has struck a deal with France’s CMA CGM Group to acquire a 20% stake in Latakia International Container Terminal (LICT), Syria’s main container facility, for AED 81m ($22m). Under the agreement, the Abu Dhabi-based ports and logistics group will join CMA…

  • DeepOcean and Jana Marine team up for Middle East subsea joint venture

    DeepOcean and Jana Marine team up for Middle East subsea joint venture Norway’s DeepOcean and Saudi Arabia-based Jana Marine Services have penned a deal to form a joint venture targeting the offshore subsea market in the Middle East. The new company, to be named JADE Subsea Services, will provide integrated subsea construction, inspection, maintenance and…

  • CMA CGM plots expansion in Saudi Arabia with $450m Jeddah terminal JV

    CMA CGM plots expansion in Saudi Arabia with $450m Jeddah terminal JV French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM has taken another step to expand its terminal footprint in the Middle East, signing a term sheet with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) for a potential joint venture to build and operate Terminal 4…

  • Shell, BP, Ithaca, GE Vernova book Valaris’ five rigs for oil & gas and offshore wind jobs

    Shell, BP, Ithaca, GE Vernova book Valaris’ five rigs for oil & gas and offshore wind jobs Bermuda-incorporated offshore drilling contractor Valaris has divested one mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) from its fleet and found multimillion-dollar assignments for five rigs within the oil and gas and offshore wind realms. The post Shell, BP, Ithaca, GE Vernova…

  • BP hires Valaris’ 2013-built drillship for multi-well gig in Middle East

    BP hires Valaris’ 2013-built drillship for multi-well gig in Middle East Offshore drilling contractor Valaris has secured a new multimillion-dollar assignment for its 12-year-old drillship off the coast of Egypt with BP Exploration Delta, a subsidiary of the UK-headquartered energy giant BP. The post BP hires Valaris’ 2013-built drillship for multi-well gig in Middle East…

  • Ofer-backed XT Shipping returns to yards with Chinese newbuild deal

    Ofer-backed XT Shipping returns to yards with Chinese newbuild deal Israel’s XT Shipping has returned to the newbuilding market with a pair of containerships in China. The maritime arm of Idan Ofer and Udi Angel’s XT Group has contracted 3,160 teu scrubber-fitted units at China Merchants Industry (CMI) Weihai Shipyard. The vessels, with price tag…

  • DP World seals 10-year extension with Hapag-Lloyd at Santos

    DP World seals 10-year extension with Hapag-Lloyd at Santos Dubai-based ports and logistics player DP World has renewed its partnership with German liner Hapag-Lloyd for another decade, extending the long-running agreement between the two companies at the Port of Santos, Brazil’s largest container hub. The new contract secures continued cooperation that began in 2014, ensuring Hapag-Lloyd’s…

  • US hits Iranian energy export network and Chinese import hub in sweeping sanctions move

    US hits Iranian energy export network and Chinese import hub in sweeping sanctions move The US has imposed sweeping sanctions on a vast network tied to Iran’s oil and gas exports, blacklisting more than 50 individuals and entities and identifying more than 30 vessels linked to shipments of sanctioned crude and LPG — including one…

  • Sanctions list swells, momentum fades

    Sanctions list swells, momentum fades Over the past five years, the number of sanctioned vessels has expanded steadily, rising from around 350 in September 2020 to roughly 1,700 by September 2025, according to analysis from maritime analytics firm Kpler. The overlap between various administrations sanctioning ships is also finally starting to grow with greater coordination…

  • Qatar peels back navigation ban

    Qatar peels back navigation ban Doha has just softened its maritime blackout. After a full suspension on October 4 due to GPS disruptions, Qatar’s Ministry of Transport partially lifted the freeze late yesterday. Daytime navigation is now allowed, though nighttime restrictions remain for smaller, non-merchant vessels. The move comes amid warnings that the GPS “technical…

  • Gaza truce talks test Houthi resolve

    Gaza truce talks test Houthi resolve A tentative ceasefire between Israel and Hamas may not just reverberate across Gaza — it could upend the maritime battleground in the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi rebels have turned merchant shipping into target practice. The Houthis have long justified their strikes on commercial vessels as solidarity with Palestinians…

  • Qatar orders all ships to stop due to GPS ‘technical fault’

    Qatar orders all ships to stop due to GPS ‘technical fault’ Doha has pulled the plug on navigation with the Qatari Ministry of Transport on Saturday, ordering all vessels to halt navigation in its waters, citing a “technical fault in the GPS” that’s disrupted routes. The move comes amid a regional spike in GPS jamming…

  • Bahri orders six ultramaxes at IMI

    Bahri orders six ultramaxes at IMI Saudi shipowner Bahri has firmed up an order for six geared ultramax bulk carriers at International Maritime Industries (IMI), marking the first bulk carrier newbuilding deal for the Ras Al-Khair yard. The company said in a Tadawul filing that the 62,823 dwt vessels will cost around $203m in total,…

  • UNCTAD warns shipping is entering a period of fragile growth and mounting uncertainty

    UNCTAD warns shipping is entering a period of fragile growth and mounting uncertainty Global shipping is entering a period of fragile growth, rising costs and mounting uncertainty, according to The Review of Maritime Transport 2025 released yesterday by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). After firm growth last year, seaborne trade is expected to stall in…

  • Fredriksen and Greece’s top shipowners spearhead revolt against IMO’s Net Zero Framework

    Fredriksen and Greece’s top shipowners spearhead revolt against IMO’s Net Zero Framework Some of the biggest names in world shipping are rallying against the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) flagship Net-Zero Framework (NZF), just weeks before it comes up for adoption in October. John Fredriksen’s Frontline, George Economou’s TMS Group, Evangelos Marinakis’s Capital Maritime & Trading,…

  • Beirut blast shipowner arrested in Bulgaria five years after port tragedy

    Beirut blast shipowner arrested in Bulgaria five years after port tragedy Bulgarian authorities have arrested Igor Grechushkin, the Russian owner of the cargo ship tied to the 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that caused the catastrophic Beirut port explosion in August 2020, Lebanese judicial officials confirmed yesterday. Grechushkin, who also holds Cypriot citizenship, was detained…

  • Race for ZIM tipped to widen

    Race for ZIM tipped to widen ZIM Integrated Shipping Services has hired Wall Street advisory house Evercore to trawl for alternative buyers, as early signals from CEO Eli Glickman and long-time shipping investor Rami Unger have failed to satisfy the board’s valuation expectations. According to Israeli financial title Calcalist, Glickman and Unger are exploring a…

  • Subsea7 scores Aramco contract worth up to $1.25bn

    Subsea7 scores Aramco contract worth up to $1.25bn Subsea7 has landed a major engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) contract from Aramco, covering offshore facilities in Saudi Arabia. The award falls under Subsea7’s long-term agreement (LTA) with the state-owned operator, the Oslo-listed company said. The contract scope includes approximately 106 km of infield and export…

  • Wan Hai 503 finds refuge in Dubai after 13-week odyssey

    Wan Hai 503 finds refuge in Dubai after 13-week odyssey The long-stranded Wan Hai 503 has finally found shelter in Dubai, ending a 13-week saga. The 2005-built, 4,333 teu vessel had been at sea since June, unable to discharge or secure port access after a severe fire onboard. The ship, which is operated by Wan…

  • Spanish ports closed to arms for Israel

    Spanish ports closed to arms for Israel Spain has banned ships and aircraft carrying weapons or military-grade fuel to Israel from calling at Spanish ports or entering its airspace due to Israel’s nearly two-year-long military offensive in Gaza. “There is a difference between defending your country and bombing hospitals or starving innocent children,” Spanish prime…

  • ADES scores multi-year jackup extension deal in Qatar

    ADES scores multi-year jackup extension deal in Qatar Saudi Arabia’s ADES has signed a multi-year contract extension with QatarEnergy for its jackup rig Aquamarine Driller, marking its second long-term award in Qatar this year. The deal secures the rig for a firm period of four years, with three additional one-year options. If fully exercised, the…

  • Eastern Pacific chemical tanker attacked by the Houthis

    Eastern Pacific chemical tanker attacked by the Houthis A chemical tanker owned by Idan Ofer’s Eastern Pacific Shipping came under attack from the Houthis yesterday.  The five-year-old, 20,000 dwt Scarlet Ray reported an explosion nearby while underway passing the coastline of Saudi Arabia. No casualties or damage to the ship was reported, with the vessel…

  • Wan Hai fire-hit boxship towed toward Middle East after 11 weeks adrift without refuge

    Wan Hai fire-hit boxship towed toward Middle East after 11 weeks adrift without refuge The fire-damaged Wan Hai 503 is being towed across the Arabian Sea toward the Middle East after spending nearly 11 weeks stranded without a port of refuge, following rejections from both Sri Lanka and India. The 4,333 teu containership (built 2005)…

  • Europe moves to snap back Iran sanctions

    Europe moves to snap back Iran sanctions Britain, France and Germany have triggered a 30-day process to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran, a move that threatens to shake up tanker markets. The so-called snapback mechanism, launched on Thursday, would reinstate wide-ranging sanctions suspended under the 2015 nuclear accord, including restrictions on oil exports, financial…

  • Turkey shuts ports to Israeli-linked vessels and cargoes

    Turkey shuts ports to Israeli-linked vessels and cargoes ZIM confirmed on Monday that Turkish authorities have barred Israeli-linked vessels from entering the country’s ports, in the latest escalation of Ankara’s sanctions against Israel. The Haifa-based line, the world’s ninth-largest container carrier, said that vessels that are either owned, managed or operated by an entity related…

  • Hackers sew lips on Iran’s merchant fleet again

    Hackers sew lips on Iran’s merchant fleet again For the second time in the space of five months, a hacker group is claiming it has knocked out communications on a swathe of the Iranian merchant fleet.  The hacker group called Lab Dookhtegan, which translates as Sewn Lips, told London-based TV channel Iran International it had…

  • Dubai’s CStar Line scales back

    Dubai’s CStar Line scales back A relatively new entrant to container shipping is scaling back. CStar Line, founded two years ago in Dubai, has focused on servicing Russian, Asian and Turkish ports.  Container analytics firm eeSea is reporting the carrier is suspending one Asia – Europe and three Asia – Middle East services this month. …

  • Houthis seek to legitimise maritime role with ‘Safe Transit’ service

    Houthis seek to legitimise maritime role with ‘Safe Transit’ service The Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) has released a new set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) assuring safe passage to vessels transiting through the Gulf of Aden, Bab el Mandeb, the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea if they are not related to the…

  • Shipping navigates net-zero waters without US support

    Shipping navigates net-zero waters without US support The US decision to go public on its offensive against the International Maritime Organization’s proposed net-zero framework has created considerable debate within the shipping community.  Various ministers within the Donald Trump administration issued a joint statement this week branding the plan a “global carbon tax on Americans” and…

  • Abraham Unger and Eli Glickman reportedly bid to take ZIM private

    Abraham Unger and Eli Glickman reportedly bid to take ZIM private Israeli business news outlet Calcalist is reporting that ZIM CEO Eli Glickman is teaming up with Israeli shipping magnate Abraham Unger in a bid to take ZIM private. A deal is reportedly being discussed in the $2.4bn range, which is equal to roughly $20…

  • Splash Wrap: Flags, fines and fakes

    Splash Wrap: Flags, fines and fakes Sanctions, the shadow fleet, and the many ways authorities are trying to clamp down on this illicit trade kept Splash reporters busy all week, with clear evidence that the dark fleet is growing quicker than the West can contain.  The grey fleet – as tracked by broker BRS –…

  • US Treasury unleashes largest Iran shipping sanctions since 2018

    US Treasury unleashes largest Iran shipping sanctions since 2018 In its most expansive sanctions package against Iran in nearly seven years, the US Treasury has imposed sweeping measures on over 100 individuals, companies, and vessels linked to Iranian maritime and sanctions-evasion network. The action, unveiled Wednesday, is aimed at dismantling what the US calls a…

  • Greta Shipping enters market with three Middle East – India Subcontinent loops

    Greta Shipping enters market with three Middle East – India Subcontinent loops New feeder entrant Greta Shipping is launching three dedicated services connecting the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. The company, a Singapore-registered subsidiary wholly owned by Chinese conglomerate Xiamen C&D, will officially launch its operations in mid-August, according to Alphaliner. Greta Shipping’s JKX…

  • Wood-Sidara saga continues with more delays

    Wood-Sidara saga continues with more delays Consulting and engineering firm Wood has added another chapter to the takeover saga that has been going on since last year. Dar Al-Handasah Consultants Shair and Partners Holdings, also known as Sidara, has been courting the UK firm with different offers to sell up since April of last year.…

  • Hutchison eyes Chinese strategic partner to get $22.8bn ports deal over the line

    Hutchison eyes Chinese strategic partner to get $22.8bn ports deal over the line CK Hutchison, the Hong Kong-based conglomerate, confirmed on Monday that it is in discussions to bring a “major strategic investor” from China into the bidding consortium for its $22.8bn global ports business. The move follows the expiration of a 145-day exclusivity agreement…

  • Houthis threaten all ships linked to Israeli trade in escalated maritime campaign

    Houthis threaten all ships linked to Israeli trade in escalated maritime campaign Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday declared an escalation in their maritime campaign, announcing they will now target any ships belonging to companies that do business with Israeli ports, regardless of flag, ownership, or destination. The warning, delivered in a televised statement by the…

  • Greece deploys salvage vessel to Red Sea amid renewed Houthi threats

    Greece deploys salvage vessel to Red Sea amid renewed Houthi threats Greece has dispatched a salvage vessel to the Red Sea in response to a spike in maritime attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants, including the recent sinkings of two Greek-operated bulk carriers. The deployment comes as part of emergency measures to protect seafarers and safeguard…

  • Livestock carrier comes under fire off Yemen

    Livestock carrier comes under fire off Yemen The 49-year-old Comoros-flagged livestock carrier Merinos Livestock was approached today by a wooden boat approximately 35 nautical miles south-southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, according to maritime security specialist Vanguard Tech. The captain reported that the small boat opened fire and instructed them to proceed to Mokha, Vanguard Tech related…

  • Houthi attacks branded war crimes by Human Rights Watch

    Houthi attacks branded war crimes by Human Rights Watch The Houthi armed group in Yemen attacked two bulk carriers in the Red Sea earlier this month, which NGO Human Rights Watch said today are violations of the laws of war amounting to war crimes. The Houthis sunk both ships, killing and injuring several crewmembers, and appear…

  • NATO warns of surging state-linked cyber threats targeting ports

    NATO warns of surging state-linked cyber threats targeting ports Ports are facing a deluge of cyber attacks from state-backed hackers, according to a new policy brief from NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE). Handling 80% of world trade and underpinning NATO’s logistics chain, ports are now “magnets” for cyber aggression from Russia, Iran,…

  • Tankers International adds Lila Global VLCC to pool

    Tankers International adds Lila Global VLCC to pool VLCC pooling platform Tankers International has brought in a new partner, adding Lila Global and its recently acquired VLCC to its fleet. The addition of the 313,798 dwt Lila Kochi lifts the Tankers International VLCC pool to 29 vessels. Dubai-based Lila Global, which has been expanding its…

  • Search ends for missing Eternity C crew as Red Sea sinks deeper into crisis

    Search ends for missing Eternity C crew as Red Sea sinks deeper into crisis The search for the remaining crew members of the Eternity C, a bulk carrier sunk by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, has been formally called off, with at least four mariners presumed dead and 11 still unaccounted for, according to…

  • DP World to invest $800m developing Syrian port

    DP World to invest $800m developing Syrian port DP World has signed a 30-year concession agreement with Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Ports to develop and operate the port of Tartus. As part of the agreement, DP World will invest $800m over the duration of the concession to upgrade the port’s infrastructure and…

  • Red Sea traffic falls as Houthis vow to continue attacks

    Red Sea traffic falls as Houthis vow to continue attacks The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed on Thursday that three more Filipino seafarers from the attacked and sunken vessel Eternity C have been rescued in the Red Sea, bringing the total number of rescued Filipinos to eight. Thirteen remain unaccounted for as search…

  • Splash Wrap: Red Sea attacks lead coverage

    Splash Wrap: Red Sea attacks lead coverage The global shipping industry has been rocked by two deadly attacks this week in the Red Sea, with Yemen’s Houthi rebels launching their first campaign against merchant shipping of the year, sinking two bulk carriers, killing at least three seafarers, wounding others, and reportedly kidnapping crew. A new…

  • One in six ships flagged as potential Houthi targets

    One in six ships flagged as potential Houthi targets The global shipping industry has been rocked by two deadly attacks this week in the Red Sea, with Yemen’s Houthi rebels launching their most violent maritime campaign since early 2024, killing at least three seafarers, wounding others, and reportedly kidnapping crew. The bulk carrier Eternity C,…

  • Red Sea shipping crisis deteriorates rapidly as attacks intensify

    Red Sea shipping crisis deteriorates rapidly as attacks intensify The security situation in the Red Sea has taken a sharp turn for the worse over the past 48 hours, with back-to-back attacks on merchant vessels and Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple Yemeni ports. Yesterday, the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C, operated by Greek firm Cosmoship Management,…

  • New maritime electrification alliance out to change zero-emission game

    New maritime electrification alliance out to change zero-emission game Four maritime associations have launched the Global Alliance for Maritime Electrification (GAME), a coalition of nonprofit organisations looking to accelerate the electrification of maritime transportation. The new alliance will initially focus on inland, nearshore, and commercial vessels and push for zero-emission solutions through coordinated research, policy…

  • DP World to take helm of NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers

    DP World to take helm of NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers P&O Maritime Logistics, a unit of ports and logistics heavyweight DP World, has acquired a controlling stake in NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers (NACC), the leading operator of pneumatic cement carriers, in a move that positions the Dubai-based group deeper into infrastructure-driven dry bulk trades. The transaction, with…

  • ITF pushes for warlike status in Gulf hotspots

    ITF pushes for warlike status in Gulf hotspots The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has voiced its concern this week to the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG), which represents maritime employers, regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and Israeli ports and asked that these areas be designated as Warlike Operations Areas (WOA). The move…

  • Splash Wrap: Trump leads headlines in a calmer week for shipping

    Splash Wrap: Trump leads headlines in a calmer week for shipping Compared to almost every other week of 2025, from a shipping news/geopolitical point of view this week has been comparatively calm. Nevertheless, the word Trump featured in more Splash headlines than any other word once again. The big news at the start of the…