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Tuesday, April 21, 2026

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French Navy chief held recent talks with foreign counterparts about Middle East

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 26, 2026

Admiral Nicolas Vaujour said that he has recently held talks with various naval counterparts, including those from Britain, Germany Italy, India, and Japan, about the current situation in Middle East. He wrote in a letter to X on Friday that…

Iranian official: US war proposal is 'one-sided.' Diplomacy remains open.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 26, 2026

A senior Iranian official said that Iran's initial reaction to the U.S. proposal, which was emailed to Pakistan,?was a characterization of it as "unfair and one-sided". He added that there might be a way forward if Washington acted with realism.

Drone strikes tanker with Russian oil in Black Sea near Turkey

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 26, 2026

The Turkish transportation minister confirmed that a drone had struck a crude oil tanker from Turkey, which was leaving Russia. This caused an explosion near the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul's Black Sea. Abdulkadir Uraloglu, the minister of transportation…

Barclays expects a 13-14 million barrel per day oil supply to be lost due to the prolonged disruption of Hormuz

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 26, 2026

Barclays stated on Thursday that the closure of the Strait o f 'Hormuz could lead to an estimated 13-14 million barrels of oil per day. They also noted that the disruption was massive, but the duration of it was uncertain. The bank believes…

NTV reports that a drone hit a Turkish crude oil tanker near the Bosphorus Strait.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 26, 2026

NTV reported that a Turkish crude oil tanker named the "Altura" was struck by a drone about '15 nautical miles (28 km) from Istanbul in the Bosphorus Strait. Its 27 crew members were unharmed. According to data from ship tracking, the vessel…

Libyan coast guard tows Russian LNG tanker damaged away from its shores

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 25, 2026

The Government of National Unity in Tripoli (GNU) announced that the Libyan coast guard had 'begun towing' a damaged LNG?tanker, which several Mediterranean countries had warned was a risk to the environment after it drifted?unmanned? for weeks.

Taiwan's MFIG purchases about 65,000 tonnes corn from US traders, say

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 25, 2026

European traders reported that Taiwan's MFIG buying group?bought 65,000 metric tonnes of?animal?feed corn expected to be sourced _from the United States?in an international tender held on Wednesday. The yellow corn purchased was at a premium estimated to be 199.95?U.S.

State media: Iran's military spokesperson claims that the US is negotiating only with itself

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 25, 2026

According to state media, an 'Iranian' military spokesman stated that the United States was negotiating with itself on a Wednesday, just a day after Donald Trump, U.S. president, said Tehran wanted to reach a deal in order to end the conflict in 'the Middle East.

FT reports that Iran has said 'non hostile' ships are allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 24, 2026

The Financial Times reported that Iran had told member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that "non-hostile" vessels could transit the Strait of Hormuz as long as they coordinated with Iranian authorities. The U.S. and Israeli…

Data shows that Saudi Arabia is increasing Yanbu crude oil production to circumvent the Hormuz blockade.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 24, 2026

Shipping data show that Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Yanbu port exported nearly 4 million barrels of crude oil per day in the past week. This is a significant increase over exports before the Iran War broke out. Saudi Aramco is working on a plan that…

Sources: India's Reliance purchases 5 million barrels Iranian oil after US waiver

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 24, 2026

Reliance Industries in India, the operator of the largest refining facility in the world, has purchased 5,000,000 barrels of Iranian oil days after the U.S. lifted temporary sanctions on the oil. Two sources confirmed that the Indian refiner purchased the oil from National Iranian Oil Co.

Iranian man released following alleged attempt to enter UK sub base

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 23, 2026

A man arrested in Scotland last week on suspicion of trying to enter Britain's nuclear sub base has been released pending further investigations, Scottish prosecutors announced Monday. A 34-year old man and a 31 year-old Romanian woman were…

UK looks at expanding its regulatory powers to combat energy price gouging and profiteering

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 23, 2026

Keir Starmer, Britain's Prime Minister, said on Monday that his government may re-examine the powers of the Competition Regulator to combat price gouging in the energy market. Starmer, a member of a parliamentary committee, said: "We are looking at ways to combat 'profiteering.

Starmer: UK must prepare for a prolonged Middle East conflict

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 23, 2026

Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister, said on Monday that Britain must prepare for the possibility that a war with Iran could last for some time. He added that there were no "meaningful" concerns about energy supply. Starmer said that the emergency…

As ships reroute to the Cape, African bunkering hubs benefit

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 23, 2026

The number of ships diverting around the Cape of Good Hope is increasing, as the Middle East war has reshaped global shipping routes. This boosts the role of Africa as a hub for bunkering. Since late 2023 when Houthi attacks against Red?Sea?shipping?began…

Sources: Primorsk remains closed after drone attacks despite Ust-Luga restarting oil exports

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 23, 2026

Three sources familiar with this matter claim that the oil loadings at Russia's Baltic Sea Port?of Ust-Luga recommenced?on Monday after an alert for drone attacks was lifted. Primorsk, however, remained closed following aerial strikes. According to two industry sources…

Treasury's Bessent: US has "plenty" of funds to wage war on Iran

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 23, 2026

The?U.S. The?U.S. Bessent also ruled out any calls for tax increases in the "Meet the Press'" program on NBC News. Congress is sceptical about the U.S. government's request to spend $200 billion more on the Iran war after spending large amounts of money for defense last year.

Daily Mail reports that a UK nuclear-powered sub is positioned in the Arabian Sea amid tensions between regional countries.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 23, 2026

The Daily Mail reported that a British nuclear-powered submarine equipped with Tomahawk Cruise Missiles has taken up position in the Arabian Sea, giving Britain the ability to launch long-range attacks if the regional conflict escalates. Could not immediately verify the information.

Iran opens the Hormuz Strait to all ships except those with a 'traitorous' connection

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 23, 2026

Iranian media reported that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all ships except those linked to "Iran's enemy", according to reports published on Sunday. Ali Mousavi made his comments in an interview with Xinhua on Friday, just before U.S.

Iran is ready to work with IMO for Gulf maritime security, IMO representative states

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 23, 2026

The Iranian representative at the U.N. maritime agency, reported the semi-official Mehr News Agency on Sunday, said that Iran is ready to "cooperate" with the International Marine Organization to "improve?"maritime safety 'and protect seafarers within the Gulf.