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Oman News

06 Mar 2024

Iran to Unload Crude from Seized Tanker Advantage Sweet

© momentscatcher / Adobe Stock

Iran will unload about $50 million worth of crude from a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker seized last year, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Wednesday, in a tit-for-tat action against the United States.Advantage Sweet is a Suezmax crude tanker that had been chartered by U.S. firm Chevron and was seized in April 2023 by Iran's army following an alleged collision with an Iranian boat.The unloading of the cargo follows a Tehran court order in favor of Iranian patients of Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB)…

03 Mar 2024

Esgian Week 9 Report: Dolphin, Diamond and Seadrill Updates

© AndSus / Adobe Stock

Esgian reports rig-related updates from Dolphin Drilling, Diamond Offshore, and Seadrill in its Week 9 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report Outline:ContractsDespite Tullow Oil’s recent announcement that it would take a break from drilling offshore Ghana, Noble Corp. has stated that there has been no contract termination announcement and that its 12,000-ft drillship Noble Venturer is currently still contracted to Tullow into March 2025.Masirah Oil Ltd has signed a rig contract with…

01 Mar 2024

Yara and ACME Sign Ammonia Supply Agreement

Source: Yara

Yara and GHC SAOC, a wholly owned subsidiary of India’s Acme Cleantech, have signed a binding agreement for the supply of ammonia with reduced CO2 emissions from Acme to Yara on a long-term basis.Both companies had previously signed a non-binding offtake Term Sheet and the current agreement concludes 18 months of negotiations during which the regulatory framework and certification regime have evolved significantly, creating a suitable environment for such long-term contracts.The long-term offtake agreement covers the supply of 100…

20 Feb 2024

EU Launches Naval Mission to Protect Red Sea Shipping

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The European Union launched on Monday a naval mission to the Red Sea "to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation" there.The "defensive maritime security operation", dubbed Eunavfor Aspides, comes after Iranian-aligned Houthi militants started attacking international shipping in the Red Sea in support of Palestinian militant group Hamas in its war with Israel."The European Union is responding swiftly to the necessity to restore maritime security and freedom of navigation in a highly strategic maritime corridor"…

06 Feb 2024

Diplomacy Underway to Allow Houthis a 'Climbdown' from Attacks

Marshall Islands-flagged Marlin Luanda was struck by a Houthi missile in January (Photo: Indian Navy)

Diplomatic efforts are underway to try to find a "climbdown" for Yemen's Houthis, the special U.S. envoy to Yemen said in a video recording released on Tuesday, in an apparent reference to finding a face-saving solution to ending their attacks on ships in the Red Sea.U.S. Special Envoy Tim Lenderking recorded his comments on Friday for a think-tank conference before flying to Oman for talks on the crisis that has triggered retaliatory U.S. and British strikes against Houthi weapons sites.Oman has been a mediator with the Iran-aligned Houthis…

30 Jan 2024

UK's Cameron to Discuss Houthi Attacks on Shipping on Oman Visit

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British Foreign Secretary David Cameron will travel to Oman on Tuesday where he is expected to call for stability over ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and de-escalating of tensions in the Middle East, the foreign office said on Tuesday.Cameron, on his fourth visit to the Middle East, will travel to Oman to meet his counterpart Badr Albusaidi to discuss how to diminish tensions across the region.The Houthi attacks on international shipping lines in the Red Sea will be a major focus of his discussions…

23 Jan 2024

Two Workers Killed at Gadani Shipbreaking Yard

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NGO Shipbreaking Platform reports that on January 16 two workers lost their lives after being crushed by a heavy iron plate during the dismantling of bulk carrier Chatherine Bright at Dewan Shipbreaking PVT Ldt in Gadani, Pakistan.The vessel was linked to Oman-based Maritime International Transport & Trading and flagged Panama when it was beached, says the Platform.The National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) accuses authorities of negligence as there continues to be a lack of compliance…

16 Jan 2024

Qatari LNG Tankers Resume Course Via Red Sea

© moofushi / Adobe Stock

Four tankers used for shipments of Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) have resumed course after pausing for several days amid maritime attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in the Red Sea, LSEG shiptracking data showed on Tuesday.The Houthi attacks, in what they call a bid to support Palestinians in the war with Israel, have disrupted trade on the main East-West route that makes up about 12% of global shipping traffic.On Monday, the Houthi movement vowed to widen its targets in the Red Sea region to U.S. ships, following U.S.

15 Jan 2024

Houthis Say They Will Target US Ships

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Yemen's Houthi movement will expand its targets in the Red Sea region to include U.S. ships, an official from the Iran-allied group said on Monday, as it vowed to keep up attacks after U.S. and British strikes on its sites in Yemen.Attacks by the Houthis on ships in area since November have impacted companies and alarmed major powers in an escalation of Israel's more than three-month war with Hamas militants in Gaza. The group says it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians.British…

15 Jan 2024

QatarEnergy Stops Red Sea LNG Shipping Due to Attacks

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QatarEnergy, the world's second largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, has stopped sending tankers via the Red Sea although production continues, a senior source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday.Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group has since November been attacking vessels in the Red Sea, part of a route that accounts for about 12% of the world's shipping traffic, in what they say is an effort to support Palestinians in the war with Israel.At least four tankers used to carry Qatari LNG were held up over the weekend after U.S.

14 Jan 2024

TankerTrackers Locates Seized Tanker off Iran's Qeshm Island

© Vladimir / Adobe Stock

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker seized by Iran in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday has been located east of Iran's Qeshm Island, monitoring service TankerTrackers.com said in a post on social media platform X.Iran seized the St Nikolas, loaded with Iraqi crude destined for Turkey, in retaliation for the confiscation last year of the same vessel and its Iranian oil cargo by the United States, Iranian state media reported."The Greek-owned, UK-insured and Marshall Islands-flagged Suezmax tanker ST NIKOLAS...laden with 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil…

11 Jan 2024

Iran Confirms Seizure of Oil Tanker Involved in US-Iran Dispute

© evannovostro / Adobe Stock

Iran seized a tanker with Iraqi crude destined for Turkey on Thursday in retaliation for the confiscation last year of the same vessel and its oil by the U.S., Iranian state media reported, a move likely to stoke regional tensions.The seizure of the Marshall Islands-flagged St Nikolas coincides with weeks of attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militias targeting Red Sea shipping routes."After the theft of Iranian oil by the United States last year, St Nikolas tanker was seized by Iran's Navy this morning with a judicial order ...

11 Jan 2024

Oil Tanker Involved in US-Iran Dispute Boarded by Armed Guards Near Oman

© Vladimir / Adobe stock

An oil tanker caught up in a dispute last year between the United States and Iran was boarded by armed individuals off the coast of Oman on Thursday and appeared to have changed course towards Iran, according to UK maritime sources.The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker St Nikolas was boarded by armed intruders as it sailed close to the Omani city of Sohar, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey, and its AIS tracking system was turned off as it headed in the direction…

19 Dec 2023

Some LNG Carriers Avoiding the Red Sea as Attacks Increase

© Wojciech Wrzesień / Adobe Stock

Several liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels have changed their courses in recent days to avoid the Red Sea region amid maritime attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on the world's main East-West trade route.The Red Sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal, creating the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia, and is connected to the Gulf of Aden by the Bab-el-Mandeb strait between Yemen and Djibouti. About 12% of world shipping traffic transits the canal.But attacks in recent days on ships along the route have led companies such as oil major BP…

19 Dec 2023

Maersk Reroutes Vessels Around Africa from Red Sea

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Denmark's Maersk said on Tuesday its vessels previously paused and due to sail through the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden would be rerouted around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope due to attacks on vessels in the area. As of Monday, December 18, Maersk had paused around 20 vessels, of which half were waiting east of the Gulf of Aden and the rest were waiting south of the Suez canal in the Red Sea or north of it in the Mediterranean Sea, the company said in a statement.

15 Dec 2023

Maersk to Pause All Container Ship Traffic Through the Red Sea

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Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk will pause all container shipments through the Red Sea until further notice, a spokesperson for the company told Reuters on Friday."Following the near-miss incident involving Maersk Gibraltar yesterday and yet another attack on a container vessel today, we have instructed all Maersk vessels in the area bound to pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait to pause their journey until further notice," the company said in a statement.Maersk on Thursday said its vessel Maersk Gibraltar was targeted by a missile while travelling from Salalah…

15 Dec 2023

Yemen's Houthis Attack Two Ships with Missiles

© ID1974 / Adobe Stock

Attacks from Houthi-controlled Yemen struck two Liberian-flagged ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Friday, a U.S. defense official said, underlining the threat to vessels in shipping lanes being targeted by the Iran-aligned group.Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk said it would pause all container shipments through the Red Sea until further notice. German container line Hapag Lloyd said it was considering a similar move.A projectile, believed to be a drone, struck one of the Liberian-flagged vessels, the German-owned Al Jasrah, causing a fire but no injuries, the U.S.

14 Dec 2023

Maersk Denies Houthi Claim Container Ship Hit by Yemeni Militia

© Björn Wylezich / Adobe Stock

Danish shipping company Maersk on Friday denied a claim by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement that the militia carried out a drone strike on a Maersk vessel sailing towards Israel.The Houthis earlier claimed it carried out a military operation against a Maersk container vessel, directly hitting it with a drone. The Houthis, who made the claim in a statement, did not release any evidence.Maersk on Thursday said ship Maersk Gibraltar was targeted by a missile while travelling from Salalah…

14 Dec 2023

Maersk Says Containership En Route to Saudi Arabia was Targeted by Missile

© STOCKSTUDIO / Adobe Stock

Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Thursday its container ship Maersk Gibraltar was targeted by a missile while traveling from Salalah, Oman, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and that the crew and vessel were reported safe.It was not immediately clear if the missile had struck the vessel or not."At this time, we are still working to establish the facts of the incident," Maersk said in a statement.The incident took place near the Bad al-Mandab Strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden…

30 Nov 2023

OPEC+ Prepares for 2024 Demand Uncertainty

© Kalyakan / Adobe Stock

Speaking after the November 30 OPEC+ meeting, Ann-Louise Hittle, vice president, Macro Oils, at Wood Mackenzie, said: “The decision by OPEC+ to continue with its previously announced production cuts and Saudi/Russia to extend their voluntary production cuts to the end of Q1 2024 is not a surprise, given current pricing and the uncertainty in the market over the strength of the global economy and oil demand growth. What is new is the additional voluntary cuts for Q1 2024 and announced by several OPEC+ producers.”  The full tally of the additional cuts has not yet been announced…

27 Nov 2023

Australian Government Responds to Live Export Petition

Source: Animals Australia

The RSPCA has welcomed the tabling of the Australian federal Minister for Agriculture's response to one of the largest Australian parliamentary e-petitions in history, calling for an end to live sheep export.Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, stated: “The Australian Government acknowledges the considerable community concerns about animal welfare in the trade of live sheep exports by sea and understands the desire to see action.“The government took the commitment to phase out live sheep exports by sea to two elections…

20 Oct 2023

Strait of Hormuz: The World's Most Important Oil Artery

© Lotharingia / Adobe Stock

The Israel-Hamas war has raised the spectre of a wider regional conflict which could embroil Iran and other regional factions.Analysts and market observers say the conflict could prompt the United States to tighten sanctions on Iran, which may spur Tehran to take retaliatory action against ships in the Strait in Hormuz.The Marshall Islands registry, one of the world's top shipping flags, last week flagged that vessels with links to Israel or the United States may face a heightened threat of attack within Israeli territorial waters…

19 Oct 2023

US Senators Ready Bill to Fund Office Helping Iran Oil Seizures

U.S. senators from both parties are readying legislation to help the federal government enforce oil sanctions on Iran, the office of Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican, told Reuters on Thursday.Ernst is spear-heading the bill slated for release on Monday to create a $150 million Iranian sanctions enforcement fund for the Department of Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) office, with a priority on Iranian petroleum sanctions. The bill will be co-led by Senator Richard Blumenthal…

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