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A VLCC acquired by the UN for $55m to prevent a massive oil spill off Yemen is essentially being used by the Houthis as floating storage for Russian oil, while costs for running the vessel are still being fronted by the UN

The Cook Islands registry has been ejected from RISC, the information-sharing database launched to prevent sanctions-skirting tankers from hopping between flags, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter

US air strikes in April wreaked havoc on Ras Isa, but the port, which relies on rudimentary infrastructure to slowly unload oil and gas tankers, appears to have resumed operations relatively quickly. Meanwhile, the threats of Israeli air strikes and US sanctions remain

A 2024-built very large gas carrier, <em>Tinos I</em>, arrived in Houston on June 2024 on its maiden voyage but has been sat at anchor since without lifting a cargo. Now, US authorities have sanctioned the vessel, along with the entire network of companies behind it, all operated by the Dubai-based gas magnate Seyed Asadoollah Emamjomeh who has for many years been the Iranian LPG kingpin

US prosecutors have filed a civil forfeiture complaint for $47m in proceeds from the sale of Iranian oil offloaded in Croatia in 2022 and sold last year&nbsp;

The Caribbean offers a case study in the severe unintended consequences of the US port fee plan. This market is uniquely vulnerable to fallout. Businesses in the islands are already exploring replacement options for US exports

LPG carriers’ widespread use of manipulated AIS signals to simulate loadings in Iraq means insurers, flags, and other providers and counterparties may want to conduct extra due diligence on certain gas tankers claiming to have called in Iraq

The US ramped up the pressure on Iran and purchasers of its oil on Thursday, imposing fresh sanctions on a Chinese ‘teapot’ refinery in Shandong province. Eight tankers and 13 companies and individuals were also designated

The US Trade Representative proposal that targets Chinese maritime and shipbuilding interests is extremely aggressive and represents the largest financial threat to vessel operators thus far during the Trump administration. If the proposal is approved by the US president, it would have major implications for all US import and export trades in all shipping sectors

VLGCs were unscathed by US sanctions until last year but the pace of designations may pick up under the new US administration. If new sanctions are imposed — and enforced — mainstream owners may benefit from even a relatively modest cut to Iran’s LPG exports

On one hand, US commerce secretary Harold Lutnick’s pledge to tax foreign-flag ships could be just talk. On the other, cruise stocks lost $9bn in market cap on Thursday as a result of those comments —&nbsp;and Lutnick also mentioned tankers

The end of the Houthis’ Red Sea aggression has been tied to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, the continuation of which is now in doubt

‘We are mindful of a volatile political environment, but we’re hopeful that our trade will not be disrupted by a possible tariff tit for tat,’ says Dorian LPG chief executive John Hadjipateras

US Senate hearing speakers theorised that Chinese workers could collapse under-construction bridge over Panama Canal, directed by spies in Balboa and Cristobal ‘observation posts’, to block US military forces from responding to a Chinese attack in Taiwan

Amid reports that Chinese buyers are hesitant of running afoul of US sanctions, a VLGC likely carrying Iran-origin LPG to China made an unusual U-turn after spending two weeks at anchor in December

<em>Eagle S</em>, the Russia-linked tanker suspected of damaging an underwater electricity cable on Christmas Day, was kitted out with special transmitting and receiving devices that were used to monitor naval activity, according to a source with direct involvement in the ship, which has since been detained by Finnish police

Tehran no longer sole supplier to Yemeni rebel faction