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Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Maritime Blogs Asia North Africa

Heavy sweet oil is being chased by refiners and marine fuel blenders amid the Iran war disruptions

Posted to Maritime Reporter on April 21, 2026

Sources in the industry said that marine?fuel suppliers are facing a shortage of high-density low-sulphur crude, also known as heavy sweet oil, to blend because of the competition between refiners. The Iran war has disrupted Middle?East imports.

Iraq resumes oil exports to the south after a month-long stop due to disruptions in Hormuz

Posted to Maritime Reporter on April 17, 2026

Four energy sources reported that 'Iraq resumed its southern oil exports Friday, after a halt of more than a month caused by disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. One tanker has begun to load crude. Iraqi ports & energy sources…

Damaged Russian LNG Tanker Breaks Free from Tow Off Libya

Posted to Maritime Reporter on April 2, 2026

The Libyan Ports and Maritime Transport Authority reported that a Russian liquefied gas (LNG), tanker allegedly damaged in a suspected 'Ukrainian attack on the Mediterranean, sprang free in a storm while being towed by a Libyan tugboat. According to the Tripoli-based authority…

Italy recovers 19 bodies of migrants from boat; survivors are taken to Lampedusa

Posted to Maritime Reporter on April 1, 2026

Rescue officials and migrants rescue charities reported that the Italian coast?guard had recovered the bodies and rescued 58 surviving migrants from a boat which broke down while trying to 'cross -to Europe? from Libya. A spokesperson for MSF…

Italy recovers 19 bodies of migrants from boat; survivors are taken to Lampedusa

Posted to Maritime Reporter on April 1, 2026

Rescue?officials, and migrant rescue charities said that the Italian coast guard recovered 19 bodies and rescued 58 survivors after a boat broke down while trying to reach Europe from Libya. A spokesperson for MSF and the International Organization for Migration said that some of the victims…

Saudi Aramco, Sonatrach and other LPG suppliers raise LPG prices by 38% to 80% in April.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on April 1, 2026

Due to a limited global supply, Saudi Arabia's Saudi Aramco and Algeria's Sonatrach raised their official'selling prices' for liquefied petrol gas by between 38% and 80% in April. The Middle East war has caused the biggest energy crisis in decades. Global prices have risen to record highs.

Gulf markets fall amid Middle East conflict escalation; Saudi edge higher

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 30, 2026

The Gulf stock markets fell in early trading on Monday after Yemen's Houthis attacked Israel?overnight, further escalating U.S. and Israel conflict with Iran -and its proxies - in the Middle East. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said that…

Libyan coast guard tows Russian LNG tanker damaged away from its shores

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 25, 2026

The Government of National Unity in Tripoli (GNU) announced that the Libyan coast guard had 'begun towing' a damaged LNG?tanker, which several Mediterranean countries had warned was a risk to the environment after it drifted?unmanned? for weeks.

Italy weighs up options after damaged Russian LNG tanker drifts into the Mediterranean

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 13, 2026

Sources said that Italian authorities are considering how to handle a Russian "liquefied gas tanker" left adrift in the Mediterranean following what Moscow "described" as a Ukrainian drone strike, according to sources. The Russian transport ministry reported that Ukrainian drones…

Russian LNG tanker changes route after attack on similar vessel off Libya

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 5, 2026

LSEG ship tracking data showed that a 'tanker' carrying liquefied natural -gas from Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 plant diverted away from the Mediterranean Sea and sailed around Africa after an attack this week which sank a'similar Russian vessel near Libya.

Russian gas tanker sinks after explosions in the vicinity of Libya, says maritime authority

Posted to Maritime Reporter on March 4, 2026

In an advisory seen by. "A distress signal was received on March 3, 2026 at 8:00 pm by the commercial tanker named Arctic Metagaz. The note said that information indicates the tanker suffered sudden explosions, followed by a massive fire. The…

Bousso: Geopolitical turmoil provides OPEC+ with cover to increase production cautiously.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 26, 2026

OPEC+ will meet on Sunday to decide its next production step amid increased geopolitical tensions that affect nearly a third?of?its output. This volatility could give the group the cover it needs to maintain its narrative of a balanced market, even though the facts in the field suggest otherwise.

The autopsy results show that the migrants who drowned in a shipwreck near Greece actually died from head injuries

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 12, 2026

Autopsy results show that the majority of 15 Afghan migrants killed last week off the Greek island of Chios when their dinghy collided a coast guard vessel died from head injuries and not drowning. The February 3 collision, one of the deadliest migrant incidents in Greece in recent years…

As tensions with Iran simmer, the US provides new guidance to vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 10, 2026

As tensions grew between Washington and Tehran due to Iran's nuclear program, the United States provided new guidance for commercial vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz. This is a major?shipping route? for Middle East oil. Iran has in the past threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz.

The survivors dispute the Greek coastguard's account of a fatal migrant vessel wreck

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 9, 2026

The survivors of the shipwreck which killed 15 Afghan migrants in Greece last week have said that their dinghy 'didn't change course or ram an coastguard vessel. This contradicts the official account given by the authorities. The shipwreck occurred on the island of Chios, and 15 people were killed.

Export boom boosts EU barley markets to ease glut

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 6, 2026

The EU barley exports may reach a decade-high this season, as the EU is able to shift a large harvest due to the brisk demand for feed overseas and the reduced competition in the Black Sea Region. The surge in demand for European "feed" barley…

15 migrants killed after boat collides off the coast of Chios with a Greek Coast Guard vessel

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 4, 2026

The?coastguard said that 15 migrants were killed after their boat collided and capsized with a Greek coast guard vessel in the Aegean sea late Tuesday. It was one of the most deadly migrant shipwrecks to occur in Greece for years. In a press release…

Minister says UK supported French operation on board sanctioned Russian vessel

Posted to Maritime Reporter on January 22, 2026

John Healey, UK Defence Minister, said that Britain had provided tracking and?monitoring?support to a French operation to a board a sanctioned Russian oil tanker to choke off?the funds which fuel Russia's incursion into Ukraine. Healey stated…

US may use Export-Import bank for Venezuela oil projects, energy chief says

Posted to Maritime Reporter on January 9, 2026

Energy Secretary Chris Wright told reporters that there is a "real possibility" the U.S. might use its Export-Import Bank to 'fund large oil projects' in Venezuela. This was before President Donald Trump met with industry executives later on Friday.

Unmanned vessel attacked Russian Shadow-Fleet Tanker in Black Sea by Turkey, says

Posted to Maritime Reporter on November 29, 2025

Turkey reported on Saturday that a Russian shadow fleet tanker was reportedly attacked by an unmanned vessel off the Black Sea coast of Turkey after it had been struck on Friday. In a press release, the Turkish Transport Ministry said that Virat sustained minor damage but was in stable condition.