Marine Link
Thursday, June 19, 2025

Oil Tanker News

17 Jun 2025

Oil tanker Near Iran Experiences Signal Jamming

© Adobe Stock/MdDelowar

The Front Tyne oil tanker was sailing through the Gulf between Iran and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday when just past 9:40 a.m. shiptracking data appeared to show the massive vessel in Russia, in fields better known for barley and sugar beets.By 4:15 p.m., the ship's erratic signals indicated it was in southern Iran near the town of Bidkhun, before later placing it back and forth across the Gulf.Mass interference since the start of the conflict between Israel and Iran has affected nearly 1…

17 Jun 2025

The Switch to Deliver DC-Hub, Electric PM Propulsion Machine Package to Bergen Tankers

© Berg Propulsion

Bergen Tankers and Equinor have signed a long-term charter agreement for two oil/chemical tanker newbuilds with an electric propulsion system, which aim to set a new standard for low emissions at the Norwegian Coast.The Norway-based companies selected Berg Propulsion as the system integrator for these DNV ice-classed tankers. The newbuild 6,500 dwt stainless steel tankers will be built by Zhoushan Dashenzhou Shipbuilding in China.The vessels will include two electric drive controllable…

13 Jun 2025

Finnish Authorities Suspect Tanker Crew in Subsea Cable Damage

© Adobe Stock/katestudio

Finnish prosecutors are considering pressing charges against three senior officers of an oil tanker suspected of damaging undersea power and telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea in December, police and the prosecutor said on Friday.Finnish authorities suspect the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S of having broken the Estlink 2 undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia as well as four internet lines last December by dragging its anchor across the seabed.Finland's…

20 May 2025

Russia Releases Detained Liberia-Flagged Oil Tanker

© Adobe Stock/Dmitri

Russia has released a Greek-owned oil tanker which was detained in Russian waters on Sunday after leaving an Estonian port, and the vessel has resumed its journey towards the Dutch port of Rotterdam, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on Tuesday.The detention of the vessel has increased concerns over potential escalation in busy Baltic sea lanes where major oil supplies pass through, after separate action by Estonia in recent days to stop tankers as part of enforcing Western sanctions on Russia."Expect heightened maritime security risks…

18 May 2025

Estonia Says Russia Detained Tanker in Baltic Sea

© aerial-drone / Adobe Stock

Russia detained a Greek-owned oil tanker on Sunday after it left an Estonian Baltic Sea port, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said, adding it had alerted NATO allies to the incident.The Liberia-flagged ship Green Admire was leaving Sillamae port using a designated navigation channel that crosses Russian territorial waters, the ministry said in a statement."This is definitely connected to the fact that we have started to harass Russia's shadow fleet," Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told Estonian broadcaster ERR.

28 Apr 2025

Estonia Releases Russia-Bound Oil Tanker

Estonia has released the oil tanker Kiwala, having detained it for sailing without a valid country flag. Credit: Adobe Stock/sharafmaksumov

Estonia has released the oil tanker Kiwala, which is on an EU sanctions list, having detained it for sailing without a valid country flag.The Estonian navy detained and boarded the Russia-bound tanker on April 11.

24 Apr 2025

More Russian Insurers Seek India's Approval to Provide Insurance for Oil Tankers

Three more Russian insurers, including a subsidiary of top lender Sberbank, have asked India for approval to provide marine insurance for oil shipments sent to Indian ports. Credit: Adobe Stock/24K-Production

Three more Russian insurers, including a subsidiary of top lender Sberbank, have asked India for approval to provide marine insurance for oil shipments sent to Indian ports, two sources with knowledge of the matter said, as Moscow looks to maintain deliveries despite Western sanctions.India has already approved five insurers from Russia, which has no insurance firms in the International Group of P&I Clubs, which provides liability cover for personal injury or environmental clean…

14 Apr 2025

Chevron-Chartered Vessel to Return Venezuela Oil Cargo

© aerial-drone / Adobe Stock

A vessel chartered by Chevron carrying some 500,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil is about to complete the discharge of the cargo at a Venezuelan port, according to shipping data and a source, following state company PDVSA's order to return the crude amid payment uncertainty related to U.S. sanctions.At least nine tankers Chevron had chartered to carry Venezuelan crude to the U.S. in coming weeks as part of the wind down of its U.S. license through May 27 are now stalled in the Caribbean…

11 Apr 2025

Chevron: Venezuelan Oil Cargoes Stalled at Sea After Export Cancellations

At least two vessels carrying Venezuelan crude chartered by Chevron are now stalled in Venezuelan waters due to state oil company PDVSA canceling their export authorizations. Credit: Adobe Stock/Alexander Sánchez

At least two vessels carrying Venezuelan crude chartered by Chevron are now stalled in Venezuelan waters due to state oil company PDVSA canceling their export authorizations after the U.S. imposed secondary tariffs on the OPEC member's buyers, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Friday.The U.S. oil producer awaits customs paperwork to return the cargoes to ports after PDVSA on Thursday canceled set-sail authorizations to two of the Chevron-chartered vessels that had finished loading.

11 Apr 2025

Estonian Navy Detains Russia-Bound Oil Tanker

The Estonian navy detained and boarded a Russia-bound oil tanker on an EU sanctions list on Friday, accusing it of sailing illegally without a valid country flag. Credit: Adobe Stock/Stuwdamdorp

The Estonian navy detained and boarded a Russia-bound oil tanker on an EU sanctions list on Friday, accusing it of sailing illegally without a valid country flag.The vessel, the Kiwala, has been under EU sanctions since February as part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet", a term Western countries use for ships they say Moscow deploys to circumvent international sanctions. The ships are typically not regulated or insured by conventional Western providers.The Kiwala was on its way to Russia at the time of the seizure, MarineTraffic data showed.

04 Apr 2025

Tanker Barred From India, Transferring its Russian oil at Sea

An tanker loaded with Russian oil that was barred by Indian authorities is transferring its cargo to a second ship to complete the delivery. Credit: Adobe Stock/Вера Тихонова

An ageing tanker loaded with Russian oil that was barred by Indian authorities is transferring its cargo to a second ship to complete the delivery, according to two sources and ship tracking data.The Andaman Skies is transferring its cargo of crude oil to the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged vessel Ozanno, the sources said.While many buyers have shunned Russian oil since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, India and China have remained keen buyers. India is the biggest buyer of seaborne Russian crude…

02 Apr 2025

Norwegian Authorities: Firm Issued Fake Insurance for Russian Oil Tankers

The insurance issued to dozens of ageing oil tankers used by Russia to skirt international sanctions was bogus, according to Norwegian authorities now investigating the small firm behind the forged documents.Norway-registered Romarine AS purported to be an insurance provider with a website listing dozens of tankers believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet, including vessels under Western sanctions.However, the company was not registered as an insurance provider by Norway's Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), the FSA said.Western nations have imposed sanctions on hundreds of ships they suspect Russia is using to avoid price cap restrictions on exports of crude oil and other cargoes.Such vessels are not regulated or covered by conventional Western insurers…

31 Mar 2025

Iran Seizes Foreign Tankers Allegedly Carrying Smuggled Diesel Fuel

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Monday seized two foreign tankers in the Persian Gulf carrying over 3 million litres (792,516 U.S. gallons) of allegedly smuggled diesel fuel. Credit: Adobe Stock/Robert

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Monday seized two foreign tankers in the Persian Gulf carrying over 3 million litres (792,516 U.S.

24 Mar 2025

Iranian Oil Tankers Used Forged Iraqi Documents, Says Oil Minister

Iranian oil tankers seized by U.S. forces in the Gulf were using forged Iraqi documents, according to Iraq's oil minister. Credit: Adobe Stock/Robert

Iraq's oil minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani has said that Iranian oil tankers seized by U.S. forces in the Gulf were using forged Iraqi documents.The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has restored "maximum pressure" on Iran, reviving a policy that seeks to isolate the country from the global economy and eliminate its oil export revenue in order to slow Tehran's development of a nuclear weapon.Abdel-Ghani was asked if he had received messages from the United States over the…

20 Mar 2025

U.S. Imposes Iran-related Sanctions on Oil Tankers

U.S. issued new Iran-related sanctions on oil tankers on Thursday. Credit: Adobe Stock/Alexander Makarov/imageBROKER

The U.S. on Thursday issued new Iran-related sanctions, targeting entities including for the first time a Chinese "teapot", or independent refinery, and vessels that supplied crude oil to such processing plants.It was Washington's fourth round of sanctions on Iran's oil sales since President Donald Trump said in February he was re-imposing a "maximum pressure" campaign including efforts to drive down the country's exports to zero. Trump aims to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear…

17 Mar 2025

Salvage Efforts for Stena Immaculate Tanker Continue in North Sea

Stena Immaculate (Credit: Stena Bulk)

Stena Bulk, the owner of the Stena Immaculate oil tanker, said it is working closely with the manager of the vessel Crowley and U.K. agencies following the last week’s allision with incident the container ship Solong.Salvage experts from SMIT Salvage are continuing with their detailed onboard assessments of Stena Immaculate.As of March 16, the third-party salvage team has confirmed that damage resulting from the containership Solong striking the Stena Immaculate was limited to one cargo tank containing Jet A-1 fuel and one ballast tank containing sea water.At the time of the allision…

13 Mar 2025

U.S. Sanctions: Second Tanker Moored Near Syrian port

Copyright Arid Ocean/AdobeStock

A second tanker under U.S. sanctions is moored near the Syrian port of Banias and may deliver a diesel cargo from Russia, data shows, as Moscow and Damascus strengthen ties.Moscow backed former Syrian autocrat Bashar al-Assad during more than a decade of civil war in Syria, but wants to improve relations with the new interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, as Russia wants to retain the use of its two military bases in the country.According to LSEG data, the Barbados-flagged Proxima, with around 30…

13 Mar 2025

Environmental Disaster Most Likely Avoided After North Sea Ships Collision

(Credit: Video Screenshot/X.com)

Fears of an environmental disaster eased on Wednesday, two days after a container ship ploughed into a stationary U.S. fuel tanker off northeast England, as the vessel's owner said the detained captain was a Russian national.The Portuguese-flagged Solong had crashed with no obvious explanation into the larger Stena Immaculate, a tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military.Huge fires and explosions charred the Solong and left the Immaculate with a gaping hole, but owner Stena…

12 Mar 2025

Salvage Ops Set to Begin as Fire Diminishes on Stena Immaculate Tanker

Stena Immaculate (Credit: Stena Bulk)

A fire onboard the Stena Immaculate oil tanker has greatly diminished with no visible flames, as initial salvage activities begin in the North Sea, the manager of the vessel Crowley reported.Crowley said it is working closely with U.K. agencies to support the incident response, salvage and environmental impact mitigation operations resulting from container ship Solong striking the tanker Stena Immaculate while at anchor on Monday, March 10.Worth noting, Solong’s owner has characterized…

11 Mar 2025

Boskalis to Salvage Stena Immaculate Tanker Following Collision

(Credit: Stena Bulk)

Dutch marine provider Boskalis will salvage the U.S.-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate, which was struck by a container ship off northeast England on Monday, a spokesperson said on Tuesday, confirming earlier Dutch media reports.He could not give a time frame for the salvaging but added that four ships carrying foam and extinguishing agents were already en route to put out the fire caused by the collision.Another company would salvage Solong, the other container ship involved in the collision, Boskalis' spokesperson said without specifying which company.The Stena Immaculate was anchored when it

11 Mar 2025

All 23 Crew from Stena Immaculate Safe with No Reported Injuries, Crowley Says

(Credit: Video Screenshot/X.com)

Crowley, the manager of oil tanker Stena Immaculate that was struck on its port side by the container ship Solong, causing a blaze, has reported that all 23 members of the ship’s crew are safe and without reported injuries, as it launches spill containment response efforts.On March 10, 2025, while stationary and anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull in the United Kingdom, the Crowley-managed tanker Stena Immaculate was struck on its port side by the container ship Solong.Crowley…

11 Mar 2025

Update: Stena Immaculate, U.S. Military Jet Fuel Cargo Continues to Burn

Credit: Stena Bulk

A tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military was hit by a container ship off northeast England on Monday, with the collision igniting a blaze on both vessels, causing multiple explosions and forcing both crews to abandon ship.The tanker, which can carry tens of thousands of tons of jet fuel, was at anchor when the smaller container ship struck it, rupturing its cargo tank and releasing fuel into the sea, its operator said. Its owner Stena Bulk gave the same details.Two maritime…

11 Mar 2025

Update: Casualties Brought Ashore After Cargo Ship, Oil Tanker Collide Off UK

(Credit: Stena Bulk)

Stena Immaculate and the Portuguese-flagged container ship Solong Tanker, cargo ship collide off UK coast causing blaze and casualties.A chemical tanker and container ship collided off the northeastern coast of England on Monday causing a huge fire on at least one of the vessels and leading to numerous casualties.Authorities mounted an emergency response, and the coastguard agency said a helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, lifeboats and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capability…