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Australian warship tracks China's Navy as it transits the Taiwan Strait

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 22, 2026

A government source confirmed that an Australian warship had sailed across the Taiwan Strait on Sunday. This was the latest transit by a U.S. ally of this'sensitive waterway. The Chinese state-backed media reported that the ship was being tracked and monitored.

Turkey bids to import 350,000 metric tonnes corn, traders claim

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 20, 2026

European traders reported on Friday that the state grain board of Turkey, TMO, has issued a tender to purchase and import 350,000 metric tonnes of animal feed corn. They said that the deadline for submitting?price bids in the tender was February 26.

The Russian seaborne oil exports may drop by 10% in February

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 20, 2026

Unplanned refinery shutdowns and bad weather at key ports slowed fuel loadings. This is according to data from LSEG and market sources. According to industry sources and calculations, the total exports of oil-based products from Russian ports in January was 9.12 million metric tonnes.

Cobalt stocks fall at Wuxi Exchange in scramble to find electric vehicle battery materials

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 20, 2026

Cobalt stock prices on China's Wuxi Exchange plummeted late in January. Traders attribute the fall to shortages of the material used in electric vehicle batteries in the world's largest consumer. On 'January 29th,'?cobalt, or 37%, was removed from the stock exchange.

Russell assumes that there will be no disruption in the supply of crude oil from Iran.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 20, 2026

According to daily headlines, the?premium built into crude oil prices due to tensions between Iran and the United States fluctuates. But there is a underlying assumption that all will be well. Brent crude oil futures closed at $70.35 per barrel, a 4.4% increase.

Data shows that the discount for Russia's Urals Crude Oil is at its deepest level since 2023.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 20, 2026

Data shows that the world's benchmark Brent crude oil is being sold at the lowest price in three years from the Baltic ports of Russia. Discounts are important, as they result from sanctions that the West imposed against Russia for the "war" in Ukraine.

Kommersant reports that the discount for Russia's Urals has risen to $28 in Baltic countries - its highest level since 2023.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 20, 2026

The 'discount on Brent' for Russia’s flagship Urals oil blending in the Baltic Sea, reported the Kommersant paper citing Argus data, has widened up to $28 a barrel. This is the highest level since a peak -in April 2023. The federal budget has…

Russell assumes that there will be no disruption in the supply of crude oil from Iran.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 18, 2026

There is a premium built into crude oil prices due to tensions between Iran and the United States. The headlines fluctuate daily, but there's an assumption that all will be well. Brent futures, the global benchmark, rose 4.4% to $70.35 per barrel on Wednesday.

Japan's JERA claims domestic offshore wind project is on schedule despite rising cost

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 18, 2026

JERA, Japan's largest power generator, has started?construction on its offshore wind project at Akita in?northern Japan. The project is scheduled to start up by 2028, according to Hisahide OKuda, the president of JERA. The move comes despite…

Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, tells Cuban Minister that the US should not blockade Cuba by naval force but instead negotiate.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 18, 2026

On Wednesday, Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, told Bruno Rodriguez his Cuban counterpart that Moscow was urging the U.S. to not impose a complete naval blockade against the communist-run Island and instead advocated negotiations.

Leader of the busiest US port says: 'Exports look dismal'

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 18, 2026

The Port of Los Angeles is the busiest U.S. ocean gateway. Exports fell by 8% in January, to the lowest output monthly in almost three years. Seroka, after the Port of Los Angeles handled 104.297 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) of loaded export containers in January…

Interfax reports that oil production at the giant Tengiz Field in Kazakhstan has gradually increased after an outage.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 18, 2026

The Tengizchevroil group, which operates the giant Tengiz oil field, reported to Interfax on Tuesday that the oil?production is gradually increasing after a'suspension' in January. Tengiz - which accounts for 40% of Kazakhstan's total oil production…

Source: India seizes 3 Iranian-linked US sanctioned tankers

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 16, 2026

Sources confirmed that India had seized three U.S. sanctioned 'oil tankers' linked to Iran this month, and increased surveillance in its maritime zone in order to stop illicit trade. This confirms a post made by Indian authorities on X earlier in February, which was deleted.

Hapag-Lloyd acquires Israel's ZIM in global shipping deal for $4.2 billion

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 16, 2026

Hapag-Lloyd, a German shipping company, announced on Monday that it would purchase Israel's ZIM for $4.2 billion. This will cement its position as the fifth-largest group in the world. The deal was met with a backlash from Israelis, as ZIM employees at the Haifa headquarters went on strike…

India steps up surveillance after seizing Iranian-linked US sanctioned tankers

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 16, 2026

India has taken three U.S. sanctioned tanker ships linked to Iran this month, and increased surveillance in its maritime zone to stop illicit trade. A source with first-hand knowledge of the issue said that on Monday. The source said that India…

North Korea's New Congress will reset its arms goals after noticing gaps in the 2021 plan

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 16, 2026

North Korea will unveil new weapons development goals this month at its Ninth Party Congress, amid assessments that Pyongyang only checked off part of the sweeping list that Kim Jong Un aimed for at his 2021 Congress. Analysts say that while nuclear weapons and missiles remain central to Kim's plan…

Trump Administration releases Maritime Action Plan aimed to revive US shipbuilding

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 14, 2026

The Trump administration released on Friday a plan to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding and other maritime business, which will be paid for in part by port fees collected on cargo brought to the United States aboard ships manufactured in China. The…

US removes updated list of companies allegedly assisting China's military

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 14, 2026

After posting a list on Friday, the 'United States' removed it shortly thereafter. The updated list included some of China's biggest tech companies including Baidu and Alibaba. The document was posted for an hour and removed China's two largest memory chip manufacturers…

UK Development Investment Agency to Resume Joint Investments with DP World

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 14, 2026

British International Investment, the UK's development investment agency, welcomed DP World’s new chief executive on?Friday and said it would resume investments with the Dubai-based port operator. BII earlier this week halted all new investments…

Dubai's DP World names a new Chairman and CEO following pressure on Epstein

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 14, 2026

Dubai Media Office reported that DP World, the port giant in Dubai, announced Friday the 'appointment' of Essa?Kazim?as a?chairman?of its board?and Yuvraj narayan?as group chief executive?officer?. This was after mounting pressure had been placed…

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