The fragile ceasefire and sanctions relief framework between the United States and Iran has collapsed. President Donald Trump’s blunt assessment at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026, made that clear: the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is “over,” the ceasefire is finished, and he has no interest in further dealings with the […]
Continue Reading
The global oil market is experiencing sharp volatility, shifting rapidly from fears of an impending glut to renewed geopolitical risks centered on the Strait of Hormuz. This comes amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, highlighted by Washington’s revocation of a key license allowing Iranian oil sales and Tehran’s persistent efforts to impose fees or tolls on shipping […]
Continue Reading
In a major overnight operation, Ukrainian drone forces struck eight Russian “shadow fleet” tankers in the Sea of Azov that were delivering fuel to occupied Crimea. The attack, described by Ukrainian commanders as achieving “industrial-scale results,” marks the latest and most concentrated blow in Kyiv’s sustained campaign to disrupt Russia’s energy exports and logistics supporting […]
Continue Reading
Middle East oil producers are grappling with significant challenges in selling their crude, even as global benchmark prices (Brent and WTI) have surprisingly softened below or near pre-conflict levels. This comes despite a major supply shock from disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz following the early 2026 Iran conflict (U.S./Israeli strikes on Iran). The market […]
Continue Reading
China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) is doubling down on Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), signaling strong long-term confidence in global crude oil trade despite short-term market volatility. In a recent Lloyd’s List report, the Chinese shipping giant dismissed a nearly 40% drop in VLCC spot rates since late June 2026 as a temporary distortion, raising […]
Continue Reading
As the Strait of Hormuz reopens following the mid-June U.S.-Iran ceasefire and sanctions waiver on Iranian oil sales (valid until August 21, 2026), Middle East crude flows are recovering, and tanker traffic is picking up. However, a key market twist has emerged: Asian refiners, who aggressively sourced non-Middle Eastern crude during the disruption, now have […]
Continue Reading
Russia has added another LNG tanker to its growing “dark fleet” (also known as the shadow fleet) as the U.S.-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project continues to ramp up exports despite Western restrictions. The 19-year-old vessel, now operating as Arctic Express, loaded a cargo of liquefied natural gas from a floating storage unit linked to the […]
Continue Reading
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz escalated sharply this week with two reported attacks on commercial vessels, underscoring the vulnerability of one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. On June 25, the Singapore-flagged container ship M/V Ever Lovely (operated by Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine) was struck by what U.S. officials described as an Iranian drone […]
Continue Reading
Saudi Aramco has resumed crude oil loadings at its flagship Ras Tanura terminal in the Persian Gulf after a nearly four-month halt, marking a key step toward restoring normal export flows from one of the world’s most important oil hubs. Satellite imagery captured on June 26, 2026, by the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 radar satellite […]
Continue Reading
Iraq’s Basra Oil Company has directed operators at the giant West Qurna/2 oilfield to suspend pumping operations entirely and slash output to just 50,000 barrels per day (bpd), effective midnight on June 23. The move comes under an ongoing force majeure declaration, explicitly citing the continued absence of available tankers to lift the crude. This […]
Continue Reading