Mehr News Agency News

Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) said on Tuesday the Iranian-flagged Lana tanker ship seized in April by Greece is no longer impounded and its oil cargo will be returned to its owner, according to Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency."With the swift and authoritative action of Iran, the Greek government finally issued an order and we are now witnessing the lifting of the ship's seizure and the return of its cargo to its owner," the PMO told Mehr.The ship, previously called Pegas and renamed Lana in March, had reported an engine problem in April.

Iran's Director of Ports and Maritime Affairs of Abada, Reza Safari,  announced a 47% increase in exports from Abadan, Arvandkenar and Chouebdeh Ports.During the last 10 months of this year, exports of goods and commodities from Abadan ports has increased by 47%, Reza said.The export volume of goods and commodities in the last 10 months of this year was 27 thousand 735 tons more than in the same period last year.Agricultural products, household appliances and light products, meat and meat products are among the most exported items from the three ports of Abadan, Arvandkenar and Chouebdeh. The destinations of exports from ports of Abadan are Gulf countries including Iraq and Kuwait.Meanwhile…

The Australian government decided to increase cooperation with Tehran in marine industries and shipbuilding irrespective of the US sanctions, reports Mehr News Agency, quoting the deputy head of Iran's Industrial Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO).After meeting  Australian Ambassador Ian Biggs, Mohammad Nouri Amiri, deputy head of  IDRO said that in spite of the US sanctions, Australia will cooperate with Iran in newly-developed marine industries and shipbuilding know-how and technology.He said that the aim of the visit of the Australian ambassador and his accompanying delegation to Hormozgan was to kickstart joint cooperation…

A large portion of Iran’s shipping fleet has regained Protection & Indemnity (P&I) insurance from Steamship Mutual, reports Mehr News Agency. Steamship Mutual, said in a statement that a considerable number of Iranian vessels have taken out insurance form the company. "We are pleased to observe return of Iranian directors to the board of one of the largest and most diverse P&I Clubs in the world,” Jonathan Andrews, Director & Head of Eastern Underwriting in Steamship Mutual, said. Steamship Mutual was the main and most favorable insurer of Iran’s shipping fleet, prior to imposition of sanctions against Iran in 2009. Islamic Republic…

Iran plans to export Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Europe, Mehr News Agency quoted Iranian Minister of Oil Bijan Zanganeh as saying. Zanaganeh described Iran’s plan for gas exports to Europe saying “the main objective is to transfer the Iranian product in the form of LNG. Zanaganeh assured that producers will not be charged by taxes for the profit they make in exports though for domestic activity, tax payment is required which discourages them from working with Iranian complexes.

Turkish maritime authorities have reopened Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait to transiting tankers after shutting it earlier on Saturday for several hours following what the government said was an attempted coup by a faction in the military. The Bosphorus is one of world's most important chokepoints for the maritime transit of oil with over three percent of global supply - mainly from Russia and the Caspian Sea - passing through the 17-mile waterway that connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. It also ships vast amounts of grains from Russia and Kazakhstan to world markets. On Saturday, forces loyal to the Turkish government fought to crush the remnants of a military coup attempt, following violence and clashes in Ankara and Istanbul.

Iran said on Wednesday it had stopped exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Japan, but there were other customers available to buy the Islamic republic's LPG, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. The report did not give a reason but difficulties for shippers in obtaining insurance have continued to hamper Iranian LPG exports despite the lifting of international sanctions. "Our LPG exports to Japan have stopped ... At the present, insurance issues and supplying of LPG carriers have been almost resolved," Mehr quoted the head of the Association of Petrochemical Industry Corporations (APIC) Ahmad Mahdavi as saying. "There are no limitations for the exports of the LPG in the post-sanction era ... Mahdavi did not elaborate.

The Mehr News Agency reports that the British Lloyd's Register Group has canceled one sanction against Iran’s oil industry by issuing certificates for commute of Iranian oil tankers to the ports and oil terminals of European Union. The managing director of National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) Ali Akbar Safaei stated about the official removal of the first sanction on Iran’s oil industry in the field of marine transport of crude oil and petroleum products. “Iranian tankers will now travel under the license of British Lloyds international classification institution,”he said. The company is considering different scenarios for returning to European markets, while it has identified other new markets, he added.

Iran wants to up exports to India by 200,000 bpd within 6 months. With Iran ready to resume business as usual with the world under a historic nuclear deal, Tehran will target India, Asia's fastest-growing major oil market, and old partners in Europe with hundreds of thousands of barrels of its crude. Iran expects the United Nations nuclear watchdog to confirm on Friday it has curtailed its nuclear programme, paving the way for the unfreezing of billions of dollars of assets and an end to bans that have crippled its oil exports. Tehran plans to lift exports by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) post-sanctions and gradually raise shipments by the same amount again…

Danish companies are eyeing a series of energy and shipping projects in Iran following a visit this week by the country's foreign minister, local news agencies and officials said on Tuesday. The Danish foreign ministry said its minister, Kristian Jensen, travelled to Tehran with a delegation representing 58 companies on Monday and that exports could increase by 500 million Danish crowns ($72 million) once sanctions against Iran's nuclear programme are lifted. News agency Shana cited Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Zanganeh as saying Danish companies were interested in developing oil fields in the Caspian Sea including the South Pars gas field, which also produces condensates. Global conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk is in the oil industry through its Maersk Oil unit.

Iran is projected to officially join the LNG Exporters Club in the next two years, managing Director of National Iranian Oil Company Rokneddin Javadi was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency. Establishing new LNG production units instead of constructing pipeline tops Iran's agenda for transferring gas to Europe, since economic calculations reveal LNG production is more economically efficient give the market's current state, he said. Currently, natural gas transmission through pipelines for a distance over 2500 km is not technically or economically profitable, Rokneddin said. Meanwhile, three foreign companies are reportedly keen to purchase an Iran LNG Company plant to complete it.

Iran's Mehr news agency said that Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi have announced that the two countries have agreed to demarcate a previously undefined stretch of maritime border. Zarif discussed with his Omani counterpart on Tuesday how to advance peace efforts in Yemen, including implementing a ceasefire, setting up talks between warring factions and how to get aid in. According to the news agency, the two sides hailed the "spirit of understanding" that pervaded the talks. The delimitation of the border between Tehran and Muscat is the first after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. In a press statement…

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussed how to advance Yemeni peace efforts with his Omani counterpart on Tuesday, Iranian media reported, on a visit to a country that has often played a conciliatory role in Gulf conflicts. Speaking after talks in Muscat, Zarif and Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi also announced the two had agreed to demarcate a previously undefined stretch of maritime border, in waters including some of the world's busiest sea lanes. On Yemen, Zarif said they discussed implementing a ceasefire, setting up talks between warring factions and how to get aid in, Iran's Mehr news agency reported. "Iran and Oman want peace, security and stability in the region and have shared interests in this regard," Zarif was quoted as saying by Mehr.

Iran Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Complex Co. (ISOICO) has managed to conclude an agreement worth $5b on the development of marine industries and shipbuilding with Venezuela, noted Iran's deputy industries and mines minister Mohsen Shaterzadeh. Also, Iran, Venezuela and Bolivia have signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the expansion of the shipbuilding industries, the Iranian official told Mehr News Agency. Iran's non-oil exports last year hit $10,500,000,000, Shaterzadeh further explained adding, industrial products accounted for 77 percent of the figure. Source: Mehr News Agency