Tanker

• Oil prices surged on Monday, July 20, 2026, following reports that the conflict between the US and Iran has escalated, resulting in attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. • In separate financial news, South Korea announced plans to ease access to the won as part of a broader strategic goal to make the currency freely convertible. • These developments are driving volatility across Asia-Pacific markets, as energy security concerns clash with regional currency reforms.

Boarding of M/T Wen Yao in Gulf of Oman comes as expanded airstrike campaign hits five bridges in southern IranAmerican forces boarded a ship in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday as part of the renewed blockade of Iran’s ports that began earlier this week, the US military said.US Marines boarded the M/T Wen Yao “to ensure full compliance with the ongoing US naval blockade,” US Central Command (Centcom) said in a post on X. Continue reading...

US renews blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran attacks sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. Plus, legendary director John Waters on 60 years of screen carnageGood morning. The US has fired on an oil tanker attempting to reach Kharg Island in the strait of Hormuz as part of its blockade on Iranian ports, as Tehran came under attack for the first time in the latest round of strikes.The US targeted coastal defences and missile sites, as well as targets farther north, with state media reporting strikes on the country’s capital, Tehran. The US also said it had disabled the unladen oil tanker, firing Hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack after it ignored multiple warnings.What other development have happened in the region? Donald Trump said Iran has released a US citizen detained since 2024, identified as Dena Karari, a dual US-Iranian citizen. Meanwhile, the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, told US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, that Israel was determined to keep its forces in “security zones” in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.What did the man’s family say? Arenas-Silva’s sister and immigrants’ rights groups in Georgia said in a press statement that ICE did not provide him with necessary medications during his time in detention for an unnamed condition he was dealing with, despite his family’s pleas that he take the medications during his arrest last week.How is the crisis becoming more international? Mexico has formally requested that US state attorneys general criminally investigate cases of immigrants who have died in ICE custody or during raids, the Mexican government has said. Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term, 17 Mexican immigrants have died during immigration enforcement, 14 in ICE custody and three in agency operations. Continue reading...

US disables unladen oil tanker using Hellfire missiles in strait of Hormuz amid concerns strikes could spiral into open conflictThe US has fired on an oil tanker attempting to reach Kharg Island in the strait of Hormuz as part of its blockade on Iranian ports, as Tehran came under attack for the first time in this latest round of strikes.The US said on Thursday morning it had disabled an unladen oil tanker, during a fifth day of strikes, firing Hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack after it ignored multiple warnings. Continue reading...

Central Command says US aircraft fired missiles into oil tanker’s smokestack in strait of Hormuz as US strikes Iran for fourth consecutive dayTrump again threatens to strike Iran’s power plants amid impasse over strait of HormuzFor a second day in a row, US strikes targeted Iran’s southern port city of Bushehr, home to the country’s only civilian nuclear plant, according to the state news agency IRNA quoting a local official.“In continuation of the brutality of the American enemy, three points in the city of Bushehr were attacked today,” Mohammad Mozaffari, the governor of Bushehr, was quoted as saying.In the recent attacks on the southern part of the country, more than 30 civilians lost their lives. While expressing our condolences and sympathy to the bereaved families, we honour the memory of the fallen. The government will stand by the people with all its might. The south of Iran is the beating heart of this land. The south of Iran, the soul of Iran.” Continue reading...

Just before the latest strikes Trump said Iran would be hit ‘very hard’; UAE says Iranian cruise missiles hit two oil tankers in strait, killing a crew member and wounding eightUS launches third night of strikes on Iran as Trump announces Hormuz blockadeUS Central Command said a little over an hour ago that it had finished the military’s latest wave of strikes against Iran.It said in a statement posted on X:During the five-hour mission, U.S. forces successfully struck military targets across Iran including Bushehr, Chah Bahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping Continue reading...

Brent crude benchmark rose to more than $78 a barrel after attacks, its sharpest increase since ceasefire beganOil markets have recorded the sharpest price rise in nearly two months after a series of attacks on fossil fuel tankers near the strait of Hormuz led US president Donald Trump to declare the ceasefire deal with Iran is “over”.Brent, the global crude benchmark rose by 5% on Wednesday to more than $78 a barrel, the highest price since the US and Iran agreed the ceasefire while negotiating an end to the war last month. Continue reading...

• A commercial oil tanker caught fire after being struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Limah, Oman. • The British military reported the incident on Monday, though no injuries were reported following the attack. • The strike occurs during a period of high tension and a fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, threatening regional stability.

• Saudi and Qatari tankers were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz, escalating maritime security risks in one of the world's most critical shipping lanes. • The incidents follow a round of talks between the involved parties that concluded last week without reaching a permanent agreement. • These attacks threaten global energy supplies and challenge market assumptions that a ceasefire in the region would remain stable.

Three vessels, including a Qatari LNG carrier, struck within hours close to OmanQatar has warned Iran it will bear full legal responsibility after three tankers, including a Qatari LNG vessel, were struck within hours in the strait of Hormuz.All three vessels were struck close to Oman which had suggested a new shipping corridor close to its coastline – a proposal opposed by Iran, which wants to charge ships using the waterway. Continue reading...

• An oil tanker caught fire after being struck by an "unknown projectile" while transiting the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman. • The United States has accused Iran of attacking two commercial ships, leading the U.S. to consider a potential counter strike. • This incident significantly heightens geopolitical tensions in one of the world's most critical energy shipping routes, threatening global oil stability.

• Between June 26 and 29, a volatile escalation occurred in the Hormuz corridor as Iran attacked a cargo ship and a tanker, while the US struck ten Iranian targets. • The conflict intensified when the IRGC launched ballistic missiles at US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, resulting in the death of one Qatari citizen on June 28. • The incident highlighted a critical vulnerability in the existing ceasefire, which lacked a formal mechanism to prevent total escalation during active hostilities.

• Iran has launched retaliatory attacks against Bahrain and hit a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz following recent US airstrikes. • Tehran claims these actions were conducted under Article 51 of the UN Charter, citing the legal right to self-defence. • Senior adviser Mohsen Rezaei accused the US of violating a war-ending memorandum of understanding by supporting regional proxy forces and escalating tensions.

• Iranian forces launched two attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz this week, including a June 25 strike on the Singapore-flagged container ship M/V Ever Lovely. • The M/V Ever Lovely is operated by Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine, highlighting the risk to international shipping lanes in one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints. • These incidents heighten global energy security risks, as any prolonged instability in the region could disrupt oil and gas flows and spike global energy prices.

• President Emmanuel Macron announced that the French navy intercepted a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker off the coast of Sicily. • This operation is part of a broader effort by France and Britain to intensify sanctions and disrupt the clandestine shipping networks used by Russia to export oil. • The action matters as Western allies seek to tighten the economic blockade on Russia to limit its ability to fund the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Fears of long-lasting energy crunch ‘slinking away’ as vessel traffic doubled in 24 hours to highest level since late FebruaryBusiness live – latest updatesOil prices have fallen below levels seen before the Iran war started in late February as more oil tankers exited the strait of Hormuz.Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell to a low of $72.24 a barrel on Thursday, slightly lower than the day before the US and Israel launched missile attacks on Tehran on 28 February. Prices have fallen more than 20% this month. Continue reading...

No formal warning issued to captains or ship owners, but industry body says they are exercising greater vigilanceBritish officials believe Russia will try to retaliate for the Royal Marines’ seizure of the oil tanker Smyrtos, prompting UK ship owners to exercise greater vigilance until tensions with Moscow ease.Military sources said the UK had considered possible responses to a seizure of the vessel carrying Russian crude worth $40m (£30m) to India, and anticipate that the Kremlin will want to hit back. Continue reading...

• A Russian frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich, reportedly fired a warning shot at a yacht in the English Channel between Normandy and the Isle of Wight. • This naval escalation follows a recent incident involving the seizure of a Russian tanker, heightening tensions in the region. • Separately, Donald Trump announced on Monday that a preliminary agreement to end the conflict between the US and Iran has been signed.

Ajay Pant charged with sanctions breach over shadow fleet ship carrying 98,000 tonnes of oil boarded by British troops The captain of a Russian shadow fleet vessel containing 98,000 tonnes of oil, which was intercepted by British troops in the Channel, has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with breaching sanctions.Ajay Pant, 38, has been charged with directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil or oil products from Russia to a third country in June 2026, in contravention of Regulation 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. Continue reading...

Dan Jarvis under pressure about why Russian oil tanker in Channel was captured days after his predecessor resignedDan Jarvis has told MPs that the Russian oil tanker seized on Sunday had been monitored for several days as he deflected suggestions that its seizure had been ordered by a prime minister under pressure after the resignation of John Healey last week.The new defence secretary, flanked supportively in the Commons by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said the Smyrtos had been “closely tracked” as he faced a question from the Conservatives as to why the capture took place over the weekend. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer says operation involving UK armed forces has delivered ‘yet another blow’ to Russia and PutinBritish armed forces intercepted and boarded a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel in the early hours of Sunday, Keir Starmer has confirmed.In a six-hour operation, the first of its kind to be led by the UK, Royal Marine commandos and officers from the National Crime Agency boarded and took control of the vessel, Smyrtos, which was sailing under a Cameroonian flag. Continue reading...

Prime minister says British armed forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet vessel in the early hours of Sunday morningIn an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Dan Jarvis said he had a “big responsibility” towards soldiers who risk their lives for the country.Jarvis, himself a former soldier, said he was still working through the detail of the defence investment plan, which will lay out how much military equipment and infrastructure will be paid for over the next decade. The new defence secretary told the Sunday Telegraph:The defence of our nation is a shared endeavour… I have a big responsibility in that regard now, but so do all of those people who expose themselves to risk tonight, tomorrow, next week, and we owe them a debt of gratitude.I have a responsibility now to them to make sure that they get what they need, and people should be very clear about my determination to fulfil those duties, to make sure that they do (get) precisely what they need. Continue reading...

The US military said aircraft disabled the engine room of the unladen Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie as it passed through international watersUS forces fired a Hellfire missile to disable a tanker attempting to break through the American blockade and reach Iran, amid an enduring standoff in the strait of Hormuz and stalling efforts by Washington to secure a new ceasefire agreement with Tehran.The US military’s Central Command (Centcom) said its aircraft disabled the engine room of the unladen Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie on Tuesday as it passed through international waters toward Kharg Island, north of the strait near Kuwait, after the crew ignoring repeated warnings over a 24-hour period. Continue reading...

French president says it is ‘unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions’, adding operation took place with support of UKThe French navy has boarded an oil tanker that was subject to international sanctions and sailing from Russia, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has said.Macron wrote on X: “This operation took place in the Atlantic Ocean, on the high seas, with the support of several partners, including the United Kingdom, in strict compliance with the law of the sea,. Continue reading...

• Ukrainian drones launched a "massive attack" on Saturday, targeting a tanker at the port of Taganrog and an oil depot in Armavir. • The strikes occurred overnight in Russia's southern Rostov and Krasnodar regions, according to local authorities. • These operations target critical energy infrastructure to disrupt Russian logistics and economic capabilities during the ongoing war.

• The United States seized an Iran-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean overnight, according to three U.S. officials cited in the FDD overnight brief. • President Donald Trump has warned he could resume military strikes on Iran, while Tehran remains in a standoff over its nuclear program and highly enriched uranium. • The move comes amid broader concerns about Iranian maritime and military capabilities, including a newly disclosed U.S. assessment that identified at least 10 sophisticated naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Revolutionary Guard issue warning as Trump awaits Iran’s response to Washington’s latest proposal for peace dealIran’s Revolutionary Guard has threatened to target US sites in the Middle East if its tankers come under fire, Iranian media reported on Saturday, as Washington was left waiting for Tehran’s response to its latest negotiating position.“Any attack on Iranian tankers and commercial vessels will result in a heavy attack on one of the American centres in the region and enemy ships,” the force said, a day after US strikes on two Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Continue reading...

• US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet struck two Iranian-flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Friday to enforce the American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. • Iran accused the US of violating the month-old ceasefire, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi calling it a 'reckless military adventure' that undermines diplomacy. • President Donald Trump stated he expects Iran's response to a US peace proposal 'supposedly tonight,' amid ongoing hostilities and JP Morgan warnings of $5 per gallon gas prices.