British commandos boarded and intercepted a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel on Sunday, leading for the first time an operation to disrupt the oil revenue that helps fund Russia's war in Ukraine.The vessel Smyrtos, sailing under a Cameroonian flag, was boarded by Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency (NCA) officials in the early hours on Sunday
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would briefly pause an operation to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, citing progress toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran."We have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom ...
Norwegian ship designer and builder VARD has secured on order from France’s Orange Marine for two additional cable laying and repair vessels of the VARD 9 03 design, to be built at Colombo Dockyard in Sri Lanka.The vessels will be based on the same design as CS Sophie Germain, delivered to Orange Marine in July 2023.
Britain imposed fresh sanctions on Russia on Tuesday, targeting Yandex Bank, a network linked to Russian military intelligence and dozens of vessels accused of shipping Russian oil and gas to third countries as part of Moscow’s "shadow fleet."The package, covering 70 new designations, also covered insurer Rosgosstrakh, Evofinance Mosnarbank and Wildberries Bank
France's navy has intercepted a sanctioned tanker linked to the Russian oil trade in the Atlantic Ocean and ordered the vessel to head for the French mainland, in a move Russia said was illegal and bordered on "international piracy".French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday posted a video on X showing commandos rappelling from helicopters onto the Tagor
Oil prices zig-zagged between negative and positive territory on Friday as traders weighed supply disruptions against the potential restart of peace talks between the U.S. and Iran that could help limit those disruptions.Prices rose 2% earlier in the day on fears of renewed military escalation in the region after Iran released footage on Thursday of commandos boarding a cargo ship in the Strait
Brent crude futures climbed more than $1 a barrel on Thursday following U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to attack ships laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, casting doubt on the survival of a ceasefire in the war with Iran.Brent crude futures were up $1.26, or 1.24%, to $103.17 a barrel at 9:19 a.m.
The U.S. seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, after pursuing it for more than two weeks across the Atlantic as part of Washington's efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports, U.S. officials said.It appeared to be the first time in recent memory that the U.S. military has seized a Russian-flagged vessel.
The U.S. Coast Guard is waiting for additional forces to arrive before potentially attempting to board and seize a Venezuela-linked oil tanker it has been pursuing since Sunday, a U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.The ship, which maritime groups have identified as the Bella 1, has refused to be boarded by the Coast Guard.
Italy and Spain have deployed naval ships to assist an international aid flotilla that has come under drone attack while trying to deliver aid to Gaza, potentially ratcheting up tensions with Israel, which strongly opposes the initiative.The Global Sumud Flotilla is using about 50 civilian boats to try to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza.
Crowley Stena Marine Solutions, the joint venture between Crowley and Stena Bulk, has received approval from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to operate the CS Anthem tanker under the Tanker Security Program.The CS Anthem, a U.S.-flagged, 49,990-metric-ton, medium-range tanker, is crewed and managed by Crowley under a bareboat charter through the joint venture.
Commercial ships still sailing through the Red Sea are broadcasting messages about their nationality and even religion on their public tracking systems to avoid being targeted by Yemen's Houthis after deadly attacks this week by the militia.The Red Sea is a critical waterway for oil and commodities but traffic has dropped sharply since Houthi attacks off Yemen's coast began in November 2023 in