Tomer Raanan

Houthi oil trade moves further into the shadows The US and the Houthis may have reached a truce in May, but Washington’s economic pressure is pushing more of the Houthis’ oil trade into the shadows. An analysis of AIS data and satellite imagery shows the Yemeni faction is increasingly relying on sanctioned tonnage for oil imports, while more vessels are calling in Ras Isa with their AIS off

www.lloydslist.com/LL1154280/Ho...

The Houthis are increasingly relying on sanctioned tonnage to ship oil into Ras Isa, while more tankers are calling at the port with AIS off.

While the US & the #Houthis reached a truce in May, US #sanctions remain in place, and are driving more of the Houthis’ oil trade into the shadows.

#oott

Exclusive: How a UN-purchased tanker became a Houthi floating storage facility for Russian oil 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

A tanker 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.

With @lloydslisted.bsky.social.

www.lloydslist.com/LL1154126/Ex...

The number of tankers anchored off #Houthi -held Ras Isa port has dwindled sharply in recent weeks.

Increase in vessels switching off AIS likely a small factor, not significant enough to drive the trend. Satellite imagery likewise shows the anchorage has emptied.

#oott

Big thanks to @tankertrackers.com for help in verifying vessel movements.

Free to read coverage @ Lloyd's List:

lloydslist.com/LL1153816/Zo...

lloydslist.com/LL1153764/US...

#oott #shipping #sanctions #tankers

Vessels that were scrapped years ago are increasingly reappearing in the market after being “resurrected” in elaborate sanctions-skirting schemes.

Watch video below to see how US-blacklisted VLCC Jaya delivered Iranian oil to China under the identity of tanker scrapped more than 3 years ago.

#oott

Cook Islands registry removed from flag states’ information-sharing compact 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

Free to read: The Cook Islands flag registry has been removed from the Registry Information Sharing Compact due to a breach of the compact’s policy, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

#shipping #oott

www.lloydslist.com/LL1153506

Bombarded Ras Isa port resumes operations as security and sanction threats linger 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

Free to view: April’s US strikes left #Ras_Isa in ruins, but the #Houthi port resumed operations relatively quickly. However, the risks — from security to sanctions — still loom large, despite the US-Houthi ceasefire.

With @bdiakun.bsky.social.

www.lloydslist.com/LL1153494/Bo...

EXCLUSIVE: How an LPG tanker’s maiden voyage ended with the US sanctioning a sprawling Iranian gas network 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

Free to read: The unusual story of how an LPG tanker’s maiden voyage ended with Ofac sanctioning a sprawling Iranian gas network — including the 2024-built vessel itself.

#shipping #sanctions #oott

www.lloydslist.com/LL1153240/EX...

US files lawsuit for $47m of proceeds from sale of Iranian oil offloaded in Croatia 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 US is seeking to forfeit $47m in proceeds from the sale of Iranian oil offloaded in Croatia in 2022 and sold last year

#OOTT #Shipping

www.lloydslist.com/LL1153000

US port fees could ‘cripple’ Caribbean, force islands to buy more from China 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

Hearings on the US port fee proposal wrapped up today. If this goes forward as drafted, there will be some very large unintended consequences. Here’s an in-depth look at one of the most extreme cases: the severe effects these fees would have on the Caribbean trade. www.lloydslist.com/LL1152999/US...

Over half of LPG cargoes claiming Iraqi origin may actually be Iranian 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

Over half liquefied petroleum gas cargoes claiming Iraqi origin may actually be Iranian

#OOTT #sanctions #shipping

www.lloydslist.com/LL1152853

‘Maximum pressure’ ramps up as Ofac sanctions Chinese ‘teapot’ refinery 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

Free to read: The designation of a teapot refinery in Shandong and a petchem storage terminal in Guangdong signals an escalation in the Trump administration’s crackdown on Iran and third parties involved in its oil trade

#oott #sanctions

www.lloydslist.com/LL1152936/Ma...

Sweeping US plan to target Chinese ships would snare many non-Chinese operators 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

Major shipping news RE: US vs China. US has proposed new port fees of up to $1.5M per US call for Chinese-built ships. Even non-Chinese ship operators with a single Chinese-built ship or a single order at a Chinese yard could be required to pay $500,000 per day: www.lloydslist.com/LL1152667/Sw...

How ‘Maximum Pressure 2.0’ could play out in VLGC market 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

A crackdown on Iran’s #LPG exports and the gas carriers facilitating them could boost demand for mainstream #VLGCs, but the details and scope will matter.

See more about the Iran-trading VLGC fleet and how a US crackdown could impact the market in this free-to-read article.

#sanctions #shipping

Trump administration official vows to tax foreign-flag ships calling at US ports 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

US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick vows to tax foreign-flag ships calling at US ports, specifically citing the example of cruise ships and tankers. As with tariffs, a portion of the added cost would theoretically be passed along to US consumers and businesses. See story: tinyurl.com/mrynfmr2

‘Let hell break out’: Gaza ceasefire snag looms over Red Sea return The end of the Houthis’ Red Sea aggression has been tied to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, the continuation of which is now in doubt

Free to read: The already tenuous prospect of a return to the #Red_Sea became dimmer on Monday, with the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, which the #Houthis claimed predicated the near-total end of their Red Sea blockade, hitting a snag.

With @bdiakun.bsky.social

Tit-for-tat tariffs threat looms over VLGC market ‘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

Tit-for-tat tariffs threat looms over VLGC market

Why would US invade Panama? US Senate hearing gives rationale 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

Here’s an overview of what happened at this week’s Senate hearing on the Panama Canal (which is owned by Panama and can’t be taken back by the US except by force) plus some fact-check perspective. Free to read from Lloyd’s List: tinyurl.com/bdfuyfxv

Iranian gas cargo discharged in Bangladesh after China U-turn 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

Iranian gas cargo discharged in Bangladesh after China U-turn

Russia-linked cable-cutting tanker seized by Finland ‘was loaded with spying equipment’ <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

FREE TO READ: Russia-linked Eagle S seized by Finland over damage to undersea electricity cable, was previously loaded with special transmitting and receiving devices to monitor NATO activity, according to source with direct involvement in ship: www.lloydslist.com/LL1151955/Ru...

Over the past year, nearly every liquefied petroleum gas cargo delivered to the Houthi-controlled port of Ras Isa was loaded by vessels manipulating their AIS signals—a tactic often used to obscure Iranian origins.

The only exception is a recent delivery of Algerian-origin LPG.

Houthis seek to diversify gas imports Tehran no longer sole supplier to Yemeni rebel faction

While Tehran is known to be supporting the #Houthis militarily, an analysis of shipping data suggests the Yemeni faction also came to rely on Iran for LPG imports after they began attacking merchant ships in Nov 2023.

However, a recent shipment suggests the Houthis may be seeking to diversify.