Kuwait News

Four men, including the chief officer of an international livestock carrier, have been charged over their alleged roles in an organised crime plot to import more than 525kg of cocaine into Australia, after packages of the drug were found floating in the ocean off Western Australia.A Western Australia Joint Organised Crime Taskforce investigation into suspicious activity by an international vessel was already under way when members of the public alerted police on November 6 after finding large packages tied to flotation drums about 30km offshore.Later that day…

Oil prices rose on Tuesday on the impact of the latest U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and optimism that the U.S. government shutdown could end soon, although oversupply concerns limited gains.Brent crude futures were up $1.14, or 1.78%, to $65.2 a barrel at 11:50 a.m. ET (1650 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $61.16 a barrel, up $1.03 cents, or 1.03%.Investors continue to assess the fallout from the U.S. sanctions on Russia, and their impact on both crude oil and refined fuel markets.Lukoil declared force majeure at an Iraqi oilfield it operates…

Kongsberg Maritime, a global provider of advanced technology solutions for the maritime industry, has been awarded a contract to upgrade the waterjet propulsion systems on 13 vessels operated by the Kuwait Coast Guard, in partnership with EDGE Group entity Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB).Under the agreement, ADSB will install Kongsberg Kamewa waterjets across the fleet, replacing existing third-party systems on ten vessels and retrofitting three others. The project includes the delivery of 13 shipsets of S63-4 waterjets…

A Tanzania-flagged vessel is partially submerged south of Iran's Kish Island, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday, adding that the cause of the incident was under investigation.The agency cited an Iranian official as saying the nine crew members were rescued from the vessel, which was carrying 2,500 tons of white cement.The incident occurred around 13:30 local time.

A livestock carrier’s engine failure in the Port of Fremantle, Australia, earlier this year highlights the need for ship owners and managers to properly manage maintenance, and for marine pilots to follow communication protocols, an ATSB final report notes.On 4 March 2025, Kuwait-flagged livestock carrier Al Messilah was under pilotage into the Port of Fremantle, Western Australia, when it briefly lost propulsion near the Inner Harbour entrance.After the initial loss of propulsion was resolved…

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…

The contained move in oil prices during the Israel-Iran war highlights the increasing efficiency of energy markets and fundamental changes to global crude supply, suggesting that Middle East politics will no longer be the dominant force in oil markets they once were.The jump in oil prices following Israel's surprise attack on Iran was meaningful but relatively modest considering the high stakes involved in the conflict between the Middle East rivals.Benchmark Brent crude prices…

A Yemeni Houthi official said on Sunday that the Iran-aligned group's response to the U.S. attack on Iran was "only a matter of time."Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi movement's political bureau, told Al Jazeera Mubasher TV that its ceasefire deal with Washington was before the "war" on Iran.The group has been launching attacks on shipping lanes and Israel in what it says is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israeli war. It agreed on a ceasefire deal with the United States in May to stop attacking U.S.

Iran could shut the Strait of Hormuz as a way of hitting back against its enemies, a senior lawmaker said on Thursday, though a second member of parliament said this would only happen if Tehran's vital interests were endangered.Iran has in the past threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz to traffic in retaliation for Western pressure, and shipping sources said on Wednesday that commercial ships were avoiding Iran's waters around the strait."Iran has numerous options to respond to its enemies and uses such options based on what the situation is…

Former Iranian Economy Minister Ehsan Khandouzi has said that tankers and LNG cargoes should only transit the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian permission and this policy should be carried out from "tomorrow [Wednesday] for a hundred days."It was not immediately clear whether Khandouzi was echoing a plan under theIranian establishment's consideration or sharing his personal opinion.Tehran has long used the threat of blocking the narrow waterway as a means to ward off Western pressure, without acting on its threats.

When tensions rise in the Middle East, it can be helpful to look at what is not happening as much as what is.In the crude oil market, this means focusing on the fact that so far not a single barrel of crude oil supply has been lost. It is in the interests of all involved parties that this remains the case.Crude oil prices rose again in early trade in Asia on Monday, with global benchmark Brent futures LCOc1 gaining 2.1% to trade at $75.76 a barrel.This built upon the 7% leap on June 13…

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the U.S. will stop bombing the Houthis in Yemen, saying that the Iran-aligned group had agreed to stop interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East.After Trump made the announcement, Oman said it had mediated the ceasefire deal, marking a major shift in Houthi policy since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023.Under the agreement, neither the U.S. nor the Houthis would target the other, including U.S. vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait…

Ethical Farming Ireland and several other NGOs have sent an open letter to the European Commission and Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, after the breakdown at sea of the livestock carrier Express M.The Express M departed Romania for Haifa on February 22 with 2,400 cattle and 460 sheep on board. Ethical Farming Ireland and Israel Against Live Shipments tracked the voyage.Shortly after departure, the vessel stopped and went to anchor for several days before resuming its journey at an abnormally slow speed of 3–4 knots.

U.S. President Donald Trump will restore his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran and drive its oil exports down to zero, a U.S. official said on Tuesday.Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz for traffic as a retaliation for Western pressure. That would shut down the region's trade and lead to a spike in oil prices.The Streit of Hormuz & OilThe strait lies between Oman and Iran and links the Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea beyond.It is 21 miles (33 km) wide at its narrowest point…

There is a small but global fleet of clean up boats preventing trash from flowing into the ocean. More than that, these battery-powered, autonomous boats are performing a growing range of other tasks.For the developers of Clearbot, the inspiration to be involved in removing trash from waterways arose from personal experience. They had watched villagers in India catching fish in rivers carpeted with trash and surfers in Bali manually hauling in trash from otherwise beautiful beaches.Samyuktha Sriram…

A 39-year-old migrant was found dead on Friday after the Greek coastguard opened fire on a vessel carrying migrants off the island of Symi in the eastern Aegean Sea, authorities said.In a statement, the coastguard said the man died "probably from a bullet" and that shots were fired at the outboard engine of the migrant boat in an effort to immobilize it after it ignored warnings to stop.An investigation has been launched, a coastguard official told Reuters, without elaborating.

Esgian provides an update on new drilling plans in Guyana and Norway in its Week 29 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsADES has secured a 10-year contract extension for 250-ft jackup Admarine 657 offshore Saudi Arabia, commencing immediately upon the expiration of its current contract term with Saudi Aramco in the third quarter of 2024.Market sources indicate that Arabian Drilling 250-ft jackup ArabDrill 80 has secured a one-year extension with Al Khafji.Diamond Offshore has secured a contract with Beacon Offshore Energy subsidiary BOE Exploration & Production LLC for 12…

OPEC+ agreed on Sunday to extend most of its deep oil output cuts well into 2025 as the group seeks to shore up the market amid tepid demand growth, high interest rates and rising rival U.S. production.Brent crude oil prices LCOc1 have been trading near $80 per barrel in recent days, below what many OPEC+ members need to balance their budgets. Worries over slow demand growth in top oil importer China have weighed on prices alongside rising oil stocks in developed economies.The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia…

Marine insurers and legal practitioners are grappling with unresolved challenges even two years after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war. The conflict had brought chaos “not only in the lives of those in the region, but for the maritime industry trying to make sense of the shock,” said Burkhard Fischer, 2023-24 chairman of the Association of Average Adjusters, in his address to the body’s annual conference in London on May 9, 2024.Headlining his talk When War Risk becomes War Reality…

Imports of straight-run fuel oil (SRFO) to the U.S Gulf Coast were set to climb to record levels this month as Mideast and African suppliers ramped up exports and U.S. refiners scrambled for heavy feedstocks, according to data from ship tracker Kpler.The increased imports of SRFO, a feedstock processed through secondary refining units and turned into products like gasoline and diesel, have helped fill a gap in heavy crude availability facing U.S. refiners.Supplies of heavy crude tightened after Mexico curtailed oil exports…

So far, the Israel-Hamas conflict has had limited impact on the global economy. However, an escalation to a direct war between Israel and Iran, could result in oil prices rising to $150 a barrel and global output cut by $1 trillion, according to a new analysis by Bloomberg Intelligence (BI) and Bloomberg Economics (BE).The new study from BI and BE – Middle East Energy Scenarios – looks in detail at four broad scenarios and their potential impact on global GDP and inflation, from a sustained ceasefire to a confined conflict…

U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) fell for a fourth consecutive month to 6.19 million metric tons in April from 7.61 million in March on production outages, preliminary data from financial firm LSEG showed on Wednesday.Recurring mechanical problems have hit Freeport LNG, the second largest U.S. plant by capacity. Last month, the Quintana, Texas, terminal exported five cargoes for a total of 330,000 tons, compared to 21 cargoes and 1.42 million tons in December.Since mid-January, the plant has been operating without at least one of its three gas-processing trains.

The New Zealand government may restart the live export trade which has been banned since May 1, 2023.The ban was imposed in response to veterinarians, animal welfare advocates and the New Zealand public decrying conditions and outcomes for the animals. There have also been multiple disasters for the industry.Animal welfare group SPCA says politicians claiming to be champions of farming and business do not have the support of all farmers or a business case for it.“Government would have the public believe that any opposition to their plan is anti-farming…