Arabian Sea News

Not every risk at sea can be measured, but in shipping a route still has to be chosen.Behind every route recommendation is a human judgement call. While weather and performance can be calculated with precision, other risks exist beyond the reach of data, forcing decisions to be made in an unavoidable grey area.In recent weeks, routing decisions in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea have carried a different kind of weight. A route that appears optimal on paper can also place a vessel closer to areas of geopolitical tension.

U.S. Central Command said it intercepted a merchant vessel trying to get through the blockade of Iran on Saturday.The ship, identified as the Sevan, was part of a 19-vessel "shadow fleet" transporting Iranian oil and gas products to foreign markets, the U.S. military said.Central Command said it was intercepted in the Arabian Sea by a U.S. Navy helicopter from the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney and was "currently complying with U.S. military direction to turn back to Iran under escort."The “shadow fleet” vessels have been sanctioned by the U.S.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained broadly halted on Tuesday with only three ships passing the waterway in the past 24 hours, shipping data showed.A U.S. blockade of Iranian ports has infuriated Tehran, prompting it to maintain its own restrictions on the strait, which had been typically handling roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply.The Ean Spir products tanker, which had no known flag or known ownership, sailed through Hormuz on Tuesday after previously calling at an Iraqi port…

The IMO’s Legal Committee has approved a new set of guidelines to improve transparency and due diligence in ship registration, as well as prevent fraudulent registrations and misuse of flags. The guidelines help to close a key regulatory gap for the maritime industry, given there is currently no binding international framework to regulate the registration of ships. The newly approved Guidelines will assist new and existing flag State ship registries by providing practical measures to strengthen verification and due diligence…

The U.S. military on Monday detailed the boundaries of its Strait of Hormuz blockade, saying it would extend east to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, while ship-tracking data showed two ships turned around in the strait as the blockade went into effect.In a note to seafarers about the blockade that seeks to take control of the strait away from Iran, the U.S. Central Command said: "Any vessel entering or departing the blockaded area without authorization is subject to interception…

Pakistan said its navy had rescued and evacuated 18 crew members of a merchant vessel operating in the North Arabian sea after a distress call.The rescued crew members of the vessel, GOLD AUTUMN, who included nationals of China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia, were safely transported to Karachi for medical care and repatriation, a statement from Pakistan's military said.(Reuters)

Member States of the International Maritime Organization are gathering in London, United Kingdom to discuss the impact on shipping and seafarers in the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Gulf region, particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz. IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez delivered the following opening remarks:"Good morning distinguished delegates.Welcome to the 36th extraordinary session of the Council. At the outset, I must first express my grave concern and deep sadness regarding the recent attacks on merchant ships in the region of the Strait of Hormuz…

The IMO has called an Extraordinary Council meeting to discuss situation in Middle East. The meeting will focus on the impact on shipping and seafarers in the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Gulf region, particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz.The session will be held on March 18 to 19 at the IMO headquarters in London, United Kingdom, to be chaired by Victor Jiménez of Spain.The Extraordinary Session (C/ES.36) is convened following requests from several Council Members.IMO…

Tankers set to load liquefied petroleum gas from the Middle East redirected to fill up in the United States, ship tracking data showed, the latest signs of shipping and supply disruptions stemming from an escalating U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.Here are some details:Tanker Gas Bombax, which was previously signaling Qatar Ras Laffan, redirected in the Gulf of Oman and was now signaling Marcus Hook Terminal, operated by Energy Transfer, on the east coast of the United States, according…

MSC, the world's largest carrier of ocean container cargo, said on Tuesday all cargo bound for ports in the Gulf will be offloaded at the nearest safe seaport due to ongoing hostilities in the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.The move, known as an "End of Voyage" declaration, also applies to empty containers that have been released for loading with cargo and are intended for export to the ports in the Gulf, Geneva-based MSC said in a customer advisory.A mandatory surcharge of $800 per container will apply to all affected shipments…

The U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran widened on Monday, with no end in sight as Israel attacked Lebanon in response to strikes by Hezbollah and Tehran kept up its missile and drone attacks on Gulf states that host U.S. military bases.U.S. President Donald Trump said the operation could continue for some weeks and that it was unclear who was in charge in Iran, following the targeted killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening hours of the U.S.-Israel campaign over the weekend.The attack on Iran has pitched the Gulf into war…

Oil surged 9% on Monday after retaliatory Iranian attacks disrupted shipping in the crucial Strait of Hormuz following the weekend's bombing by Israel and the United States that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.A sustained jump in prices would threaten a global economic recovery, spur inflation and could push up U.S. retail gasoline prices, a risky result for President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections this November.The price surge on the restart of trading after the weekend…

The diplomatic route in Iran is now exhausted, as last night the United States and Israel attacked Iran, sharply escalating security risks for commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters, prompting immediate operational and insurance repercussions across the global maritime sector.According to Jakob Larsen, Chief Safety & Security Officer at BIMCO, the attacks “dramatically increase the security risk to ships operating in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters,” particularly for vessels with business ties to U.S.

The EU Council has extended the European Union’s maritime security operation to safeguard freedom of navigation in relation to the Red Sea crisis (EUNAVFOR ASPIDES) until 28 February 2027, following the strategic review of the operation.The Council agreed to provide nearly €15 million ($18 million) to cover the costs of the operation which contributes to safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waters in response to ongoing threats against merchant and commercial vessels.Operation ASPIDES provides defensive maritime security…

Oil prices steadied on Wednesday after rising earlier in the session after the U.S. shot down an Iranian drone and armed Iranian boats approached a U.S.-flagged vessel, rekindling fears of an escalation in tensions ahead of planned talks.But a broader selloff of software equities, which often move in tandem with oil prices, capped gains.Brent crude oil futures were up around 0.1% at $67.38 a barrel by 1423 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 2 cents at $63.19.Both…

A group of Iranian gunboats approached a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz north of Oman, maritime sources and a security consultancy said on Tuesday.The Iranian boats ordered the tanker, the Stena Imperative, to stop its engine and prepare to be boarded before it could speed up and continue its voyage, maritime risk management group Vanguard said.The vessel did not enter Iranian internal territorial waters and was escorted by a U.S. warship, the maritime risk management group said. An American official confirmed it was U.S.

The Pakistan Navy expects its first Chinese-designed submarine to enter active service next year, the country's top admiral told Chinese state media, bolstering Beijing's bid to counter regional rival India and project power toward the Middle East.A deal under which Islamabad will take delivery of eight Hangor-class submarines by 2028 is "progressing smoothly," Admiral Naveed Ashraf told the Global Times in an interview published on Sunday, adding the submarines would boost Pakistan's…

The Pakistan navy said on Wednesday it seized narcotics worth about $972 million in the North Arabian Sea in an operation with a Saudi-led task force.The navy's YARMOOK ship, operating under the Saudi-led Combined Task Force of the Combined Maritime Forces, carried out the operation, the navy said in a statement.(Reuters - Reporting by Asif Shahzad)

At least 54 migrants died when a boat carrying around 150 people sank off Yemen's coast in bad weather on Sunday, with dozens still unaccounted for, health officials said.The boat capsized off the Ahwar district in Yemen's southern Abyan province on the Arabian Sea, security sources said.Abdul Qadir Bajameel, a provincial health official, said 10 of the around 150 people on board were rescued - nine Ethiopians and one Yemeni - but dozens remained missing. Two medics said rescuers…

The Coast Guard (including its heritage services) have employed boats since the beginning. Boats are just as important, if not more so, than ever.America’s first “boat force” came about in 1878, with the creation of the United States Life Saving Service (USLSS), whose boat crews rescued mariners in distress along the nation’s coast line. In 1915, the USLSS merged with the United States Revenue Cutter Service (established in 1790) to form the modern-day United States Coast Guard.

The Iranian military loaded naval mines onto vessels in the Persian Gulf last month, a move that intensified concerns in Washington that Tehran was gearing up to blockade the Strait of Hormuz following Israel's strikes on sites across Iran, according to two U.S. officials.The previously unreported preparations, which were detected by U.S. intelligence, occurred some time after Israel launched its initial missile attack against Iran on June 13, said the officials, who requested…

Zamil 80, the first of three new 60-meter Fast Support Intervention Vessels (FSIVs) designed by Incat Crowther for offshore marine services provider Zamil Offshore, has passed sea trials and will soon enter service.The new vessel exceeded expectations, achieving a service speed of 28 knots with a 200-tonne payload, above the contracted required service speed of 25 knots, Incat Crowther said.The three new ABS-Classed, low-draft monohull FSIVs are being constructed by Singaporean shipbuilder Lita Ocean and will assist Zamil Offshore with the safe transport of cargo…

Iran's Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuz following U.S. bombing raids, Iran's Press TV said on Sunday, after parliament was reported to have backed the measure.Iran has long used the threat of closing the Strait, through which around 20% of global oil and gas demand flows, as a way to ward off Western pressure which is now at its peak after the overnight U.S.