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Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Shipping News

28 Jul 2026

Oman Proposes Voluntary Hormuz Transit Fee Plan

© ink drop / Adobe Stock

Oman has presented Iran with a plan backed by Gulf states to manage the Strait of Hormuz, including collecting voluntary fees for using it, a Gulf source and a Western diplomat told Reuters on Tuesday.The plan could serve as a basis to end the disruption to trade through the strait caused by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.President Donald Trump, who abruptly called off a two-week U.S. bombing campaign over the weekend in his latest strategic U-turn, said there were "good talks" under way with Iran but threatened to restart strikes unless negotiations deliver.

27 Jul 2026

Iran Vows Response to Ukrainian Attack on Commercial Vessel

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel "cannot go unanswered".Iran said the attack in the Caspian Sea resulted in an explosion that killed one sailor and injured another.Araqchi made the comments in calls with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Araqchi posted on X.Lavrov, in a statement posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, offered condolences in connection with the death of a sailor in the attack.Lavrov said Araqchi thanked local authorities in the Russian region of Astra

24 Jul 2026

Cooperative Ventures Invests in OpenTug, Furthering Agricultural Shipping Logistics

© OpenTug

Cooperative Ventures has announced an investment in OpenTug, an AI-native logistics technology company specializing in inland and coastal marine transportation. Cooperative Ventures, a joint venture between CHS Inc. and GROWMARK, focuses on investing in agtech startups and developing mutually beneficial commercial relationships between startups and partners. In addition to Cooperative Ventures investment in OpenTug, CHS is working to implement the barge management system to build…

23 Jul 2026

Port of Bilbao Sees Largest YoY Growth Since 2004

© Port of Bilbao

In the first half of the year, the Port of Bilbao handled 17,317,427 tons of cargo, an increase of 1,893,980 tons and 12.3% up on the same period last year. This figure represents the highest year-on-year growth recorded at the start of a year for the last twenty-two years, or since 2004.Furthermore, despite a difficult start to the year due to the storms, mostly in January and part of February, that affected the vast majority of state-owned ports, and which, in the case of the Port of Bilbao…

23 Jul 2026

Houthis Claim Attack on Saudi Tankers in Red Sea

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The Iranian-aligned Houthis said on Thursday they struck two Saudi oil tankers as part of a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, threatening to create a second chokepoint on global oil supplies alongside Iran's near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz.Meanwhile the U.S. military completed a new round of strikes on Iran at President Donald Trump's direction, marking a 12th successive night of American attacks and prompting further Iranian retaliation.Iran said it attacked U.S. missile systems, weapons and fuel storages in Jordan, as well as U.S.

22 Jul 2026

Oil Rises on Dual Shipping Threat in Hormuz and Red Sea

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Oil prices rose to near six-week highs on Wednesday on mounting concerns about disruptions to key Middle Eastern supply routes because of escalating hostilities between the U.S. and Iran and threats to shipping by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.Brent crude futures LCOc1 rose $2.84, or 3.12%, to $93.85 a barrel at 0833 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 climbed $2.93, or 3.47%, to $87.27. Both benchmarks touched their highest levels since June 11.The U.S. military said late on Tuesday, early Wednesday in Iran, that it carried out an 11th consecutive night of attacks. The U.S.

17 Jul 2026

US-Iran Attacks Escalation Chokes Hormuz Shipping

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Just three commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, the fewest daily transits since May, shipping data showed, with most ships halting or making U-turns after recent Iranian attacks on vessels and the resumption of a U.S. blockade on Iran-related shipping.The re-escalation in fighting between the U.S. and Iran has once again largely stopped traffic through Hormuz, the world's most important shipping route for oil and gas, driving up global energy prices.Miraan…

16 Jul 2026

Hormuz Crossings Decline as US Renews Iran Blockade

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Fewer vessels travelled through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day after the U.S. reimposed its naval blockade on Iranian ports with both countries escalating strikes across the Gulf, shipping data showed.Nine vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, mostly on the Iranian route, down from 13 the previous day, Kpler data showed.There were no Very Large Crude Carrier or liquefied natural gas tankers visibly passing through the strait on Wednesday.U.S. Central Command…

15 Jul 2026

Shipping Companies Turn Down US-Guided Military Transit Through Hormuz

© Adobe Stock/alones

Shipping companies are avoiding using a U.S. military-guided transit scheme through the Strait of Hormuz after a wave of Iranian attacks on vessels sparked safety concerns, seven maritime security and shipping industry sources said.For decades ships sailed into and out of the Gulf using a safe set of lanes down the middle of the strait established by the U.N.’s shipping agency in 1968 dubbed the Traffic Separation Scheme.Since the Iran war began on February 28, Iranian forces have mined this area…

15 Jul 2026

Ukrainian Drones Hit 20 Russian Vessels in Black Sea


© Віталій Б. / Adobe Stock

Ukrainian drones struck 20 Russian vessels in the Black Sea overnight, including 17 oil tankers, the commander of Kyiv's drone forces said on Wednesday.On Telegram, Robert Brovdi said the targets included two gas tankers and a tugboat.(Reuters - Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)

15 Jul 2026

Iran Warns More Seaways Could Close as US Reimposes Naval Blockade

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Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to close "all other export corridors that benefit the U.S. and its allies", Iranian media reported, after Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. reimposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports."Regional energy exports are either shared by all, or denied to all," the IRGC said in a statement carried by Iran's IRNA state news agency on Wednesday.Analysts have said Iran has been signalling it may use its Houthi allies in Yemen to shut the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea…

14 Jul 2026

KR, HD Hyundai Complete Korea's First Ammonia Vessel Trial

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ammonia Dual-Fuel Vessel (Credit:HHI)

Korean Register (KR) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) have completed a sea trial of South Korea's first ammonia dual-fuel propulsion vessel as part of a government-backed initiative to support the development of ammonia-fueled shipping.The trial was conducted under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' Green Shipping Corridor Construction Support Project, which aims to establish a domestic operating environment for ammonia-powered vessels.According to KR, the sea trial generated…

14 Jul 2026

Iranian Missiles Hit Two UAE Oil Tankers, One Person Dead

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One Indian crew member was killed and eight others were wounded when two Emirati oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday, in the latest escalation in the strategic waterway.Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's shipping arm ADNOC L&S later confirmed the very large crude carriers (VLCCs) Mombasa B and Al Bahiyah were struck while transiting Hormuz and had sustained "significant damage".UAE state oil giant ADNOC has been among the most active participants in a U.S.

13 Jul 2026

Hormuz Traffic Falls to Five-Week Low as Tensions Escalate

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The number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz fell to multi-week lows on Sunday, shipping data showed, as renewed strikes between the U.S. and Iran and attacks on ships in the Middle East heightened safety concerns.Six vessels transited the strait on Sunday, ship-tracking data from Kpler showed, the lowest number in five weeks.Tankers that exited the strait included the Very Large Crude Carrier Humanity, laden with 2 million barrels of Iranian oil and another tanker, Capetan Andreas…

10 Jul 2026

LNG Tankers Resume Hormuz Crossings Amid Tensions

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More liquefied natural gas tankers have resumed transiting the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, ship-tracking data showed, and 22 Japan-linked vessels have left the Gulf since Tuesday, Tokyo said, despite renewed fighting in the Middle East.The Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and LNG shipments, has been closely watched by shipping companies and governments following Iranian attacks this week on commercial vessels and U.S.

09 Jul 2026

Maersk Resumes Suez Canal Route From Middle East to US

© dbvirago - stock.adobe.com

Maersk, one of the world's biggest container shipping groups, said on Thursday it would resume its Middle East-to-U.S. East Coast service through the Suez Canal, as the Danish group takes another step toward restoring routes through the Red Sea.Most shipping companies abandoned the Asia-Europe trade corridor through the Suez Canal after attacks in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthis, forcing vessels to take the much longer route around Africa's Cape of Good Hope.

09 Jul 2026

Tanker Vessel Contracting Hits Record High

Courtesy BIMCO

“So far this year, crude tanker newbuilding contracting has reached 60m deadweight tonnes (DWT) across 234 ships, driven by a surge in orders for Very Large Crude Tankers (VLCCs). This already makes 2026 the year with the highest crude tanker contracting on record. High freight rates and the need to replace an increasingly older fleet have both encouraged contracting,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Orders for new VLCCs are already more than double than in the whole of 2025.

09 Jul 2026

Methanol-Ready Arctic Tern PCTC Joins Wallenius Wilhelmsen Fleet

(Credit: Wallenius Wilhelmsen)

Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) shipping and vehicle logistics group Wallenius Wilhelmsen has taken delivery of Arctic Tern, the first dual-fuel methanol-ready vessel in its new Shaper Class series.Arctic Tern vessel offers greater cargo capacity and improved operational efficiency and will be deployed through EUKOR Car Carriers, the shipping line jointly owned by Hyundai Motor Group and Wallenius Wilhelmsen.Following delivery, the vessel will enter service between Asia and Europe almost…

09 Jul 2026

Hormuz Standoff Risks Chronic Instability for Gulf Oil Flows

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The possible collapse of U.S.-Iran peace talks and the stop-start flow of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz are a nightmare scenario for Gulf nations desperate to return to normal after a bruising multi-month conflict.What was meant to mark the start of a fragile recovery following the June 17 memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington is instead evolving into a period of chronic instability, with each new incident reinforcing doubts over the security of one of the world's most important energy arteries.U.S.

08 Jul 2026

Island Oil Expands Fleet with Two Tankers

Island Horizon (Credit: Island Oil)

Island Oil has acquired two oil tankers, Island Polaris and Island Horizon, expanding its owned fleet and marine logistics capacity.The acquisitions form part of the company's long-term investment strategy to strengthen logistics capabilities and support demand for marine fuel transportation across the Mediterranean and Black Sea.The two vessels are double-hull tankers and will increase Island Oil's transportation capacity while supporting service reliability across its network…

08 Jul 2026

Vessel Attacks Force Hormuz Tanker U-Turns

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At least four oil and gas tankers have turned back from attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, ship-tracking data showed, as renewed attacks on vessels in the critical waterway heightened safety and security concerns.The diversions come after a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker and a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker were damaged near the strait on Tuesday following reports that Iran fired missiles at ships in the waterway, prompting maritime authorities to raise the threat risk for transiting vessels to "severe."The LNG tankers Al Ghariya…

07 Jul 2026

ADNOC, XRG and Mitsui Broaden Energy Cooperation

(Credit: ADNOC)

ADNOC and XRG have signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Mitsui to explore opportunities across liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, sulfur, shipping and chemicals, as well as international energy investments through XRG.The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration in areas including crude oil market development and long-term supply, LNG sales and optimization, sulfur procurement and logistics, and shipping solutions for LNG, ammonia, sulfur and other commodities.Through XRG…

07 Jul 2026

Commercial Ships Hit in Hormuz Missile Attacks

© alones / Adobe Stock

Iran's Revolutionary Guards fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, Axios reported, citing two U.S. officials.Two commercial ships suffered significant damage but had no casualties, the report said, citing a U.S. official.Separately, Britain's maritime security agency said a tanker caught fire after being hit by an unknown projectile east of Oman's Limah early on Tuesday.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations…