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India Today
08-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Three killed in Red Sea attack on Greek-operated ship
At least three crew members aboard the Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier Eternity C were killed, and two others sustained injuries in a Houthi attack off the coast of Yemen, the European Union's naval mission Aspides confirmed on Tuesday. The attack involving sea drones and manned speedboats armed with rocket-propelled grenades marks a deadly escalation following a months-long pause in maritime attacks in the Red vessel, carrying 22 crew members (21 Filipinos and one Russian), was struck late Monday, nearly 50 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah. The ship is now reportedly adrift and listing, news agency Reuters reported citing maritime security sources. This incident is the second reported attack on merchant vessels in the region in two days and brings the total number of seafarers killed in Red Sea assaults to seven since the Houthi campaign began in November 2023. The group claims to be targeting ships linked to Israel in retaliation for its military operations in Gaza. Earlier on Sunday, the Houthis said they struck another Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated vessel, the Magic Seas, alleging it had sunk. The vessel's manager could not confirm the sinking, but all crew members were safely rescued and brought to Djibouti, according to local Eternity C incident has not yet been claimed by the Houthis, though both the EU naval mission and the US Embassy in Yemen have blamed the group. 'The Houthis are once again showing blatant disregard for human life,' the embassy said, calling the killings 'intentional murder of innocent mariners.'Liberia's delegation to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) expressed shock at the rapid succession of attacks, noting the tragedy unfolded just as the country was grappling with the Magic Seas authorities have responded by urging their seafarers, who comprise a significant portion of the global maritime workforce, to exercise their right to refuse deployment to 'high-risk, war-like' zones, including the Red to Ellie Shafik, head of intelligence at UK-based Vanguard Tech, the recent surge in violence underscores that the prior pause in Houthi attacks was not a sign of de-escalation. 'As long as the conflict in Gaza continues, ships with actual or perceived ties to Israel will remain at elevated risk,' she traffic through the Red Sea, a vital route for global oil and commodities, has dropped by about 50 per cent since the Houthi campaign began, a decline that persists amid ongoing security uncertainty. advertisement'The recent attacks are unlikely to shift current routing patterns,' said Jakob Larsen of shipping association Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez condemned the renewed violence, calling it a 'violation of international law and freedom of navigation.' He emphasized that 'innocent seafarers and local communities are the main victims of these attacks and the environmental risks they pose.'The Houthis, aligned with Iran and controlling much of northern Yemen, have vowed to continue targeting vessels with links to Israel and to disrupt maritime traffic in both the Red and Arabian Seas until what they call Israeli "aggression" in Gaza back-to-back attacks on Magic Seas and Eternity C appear to signal a renewed and potentially intensified campaign against commercial shipping in the region.- EndsMust Watch
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Express Tribune
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
At least three dead as Greek-operated ship attacked in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthi tribesmen gathered, on February 4, to show defiance following US and UK air strikes on Houthi positions near Sanaa. PHOTO:REUTERS Listen to article Three crew members were killed and at least two others injured after a Greek-operated, Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, Eternity C, came under attack off the coast of Yemen, the EU naval mission Aspides confirmed on Tuesday. The ship was struck by sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades launched from manned speedboats in the Red Sea, a vital global trade route now gripped by renewed Houthi militia attacks. The Eternity C, with 22 crew members on board – 21 Filipinos and one Russian – is now adrift and listing, maritime sources said. The fatalities mark the first shipping deaths in the region since June 2024 and raise the total seafarers killed in Red Sea attacks to seven. The Iran-aligned Houthis, who began targeting commercial vessels in November 2023 in what they describe as support for Palestinians in Gaza, have not yet claimed responsibility for the latest incident. Hours earlier, however, they had claimed an attack on another Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated vessel, MV Magic Seas, off southwest Yemen. While the Houthis said the ship sank, the vessel's manager could not confirm the report. All crew members from Magic Seas were safely rescued and taken to Djibouti. Read More: Ship attacked in Red Sea near Yemen, likely by Houthis, say officials Liberia's delegation to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) condemned the attacks and expressed grief, stating: "Just as Liberia was processing the shock and grief of the attack against Magic Seas, we received a report that Eternity C again has been attacked—horribly—causing the death of two seafarers." The IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, described the renewed assaults as a violation of international law and freedom of navigation, saying innocent seafarers and local communities remain the primary victims. Both Eternity C and Magic Seas are linked to commercial fleets whose sister ships have docked at Israeli ports in the past year, increasing their risk of targeting by the Houthis. Maritime intelligence experts caution that, as long as the Gaza conflict continues, vessels with real or perceived connections to Israel will remain at elevated risk Also read: Israel strikes Houthi ports and power station in Yemen In response to the attacks, the Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers has advised Filipino seafarers to exercise their right to refuse deployment to "high-risk, war-like" zones, including the Red Sea. Shipping traffic through the Red Sea has declined by around 50% since the first Houthi strikes in 2023, according to Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer at shipping association BIMCO. He added that the continued unpredictability means this reduction is unlikely to change despite the latest escalation. Monday's deadly strike on the Eternity C, approximately 50 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's Hodeidah port, is the second such attack in the region since November 2024, underscoring the volatile security landscape for commercial shipping.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amid Israel-Iran Tensions, Shipping Slows Down in Strait of Hormuz
The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran has not had a direct impact on global freight yet, but shipping companies are growing leery of traversing through the Strait of Hormuz, the channel that connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. While the trade chokepoint remains open for business, traffic through the strait dwindled over a week's span, according to data from the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC). More from Sourcing Journal New BGMEA Chief Warns of Shipping Disruption From Iran-Israel Conflict Israel's Strikes on Iran Trigger Elevated Shipping Risks Across Middle East China-to-US Freight Rates 'No Longer Surging'-Is it All Downhill from Here? In an advisory update on Monday, JMIC illustrated that 147 cargo-carrying vessels sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on June 9, three days before Israel carried out a series of airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. By June 15, only 111 vessels were passing through. According to the JMIC, threat levels for ships operating in the Strait of Hormuz, Arabian Gulf and Northern Arabian Sea remain elevated. JMIC was clear in its advisory that 'there are no confirmed indications of an immediate threat to maritime traffic,' but confirmed reports of electronic interference affecting vessels' ability to accurately transmit positional data via automated identification systems (AIS) in both the strait and the Arabian Gulf. Jakob Larsen, head of security at international shipowners' association BIMCO, told CNBC the conflict resulted in a 'modest drop' in the number of ships sailing through the area. The attacks on Iran have created some concern that the country's military will block off access to the strait, which hosts the flow of approximately 20 percent of the world's liquid oil supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But such a closure would impact container shipping operations as well, even though only 2 percent to 3 percent of estimated global container traffic passes through, according to data from Container Trade Statistics (CTS). Major Middle Eastern transshipment hubs in the UAE, including Dubai's Jebel Ali Port and Abu Dhabi's Khalifa Port, would lose access to the vessels and their cargo. These ports play a significant role in trade across the Middle Easta and facilitate large volumes of sea-to-air relay shipments, while also linking the region to markets in the Indian subcontinent and Africa. 'A ripple effect of such action would be a sharp increase in handlings in transshipment hubs outside of the Persian Gulf with high risk of a wider Asian congestion issue,' said Lars Jensen, CEO of Vespucci Maritime, in a post on LinkedIn. 'It would be a major problem related to imports and exports to and from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq. Likely we would see container lines not affiliated with the conflict trying to pick up the slack from those affected—same as we have seen for Red Sea transits.' As such, capacity concerns could spring up if too many vessels are instead forced to stop at other already crowded transshipment ports, whether it Shanghai, Singapore or the Port of Colombo in Sri Lanka—ultimately resulting in more shipping delays. 'Any closure of the Strait of Hormuz would see services rerouted, with increased reliance on India West Coast ports for connecting the Far East to the Indian subcontinent,' said Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta. 'The inevitable disruption and port congestion, as well as the potential for higher oil prices, would cause a spike in ocean freight container shipping rates, with carriers likely also pushing for a 'security surcharge' on these trades in the coming days.' On Monday, Maersk slapped a $4,000 peak season surcharge on all containers exiting the Middle East and Indian subcontinent on the way to the North American West Coast set to go into effect July 16. Hapag-Lloyd is adding its own $1,000 surcharge on all containers shipping from those origin regions to all ports in North America, which will begin July 15. There's also the concern of spiking war-risk insurance premiums, which had been prevalent in Red Sea travels and a reason many container shipping companies havankers e still opted to avoid the waterway. Until June 13, the additional premium for a commodity's transit through the Persian Gulf was around 0.05 percent of the cargo's value for companies with annual sales of $500 million or higher, and closer to 0.1 percent for others, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights. But as the conflict escalates, costs could potentially double, the firm says. As uncertainty surrounds the Strait of Hormuz and the Middle East, two oil tankers collided and caught fire near the conduit on Tuesday morning. One of the tankers, the Adalynn, evacuated 24 people. Personnel on the second tanker, the Front Eagle, were reported safe. No injuries or spillage were reported. British maritime security monitor Ambrey said that the collision was 'not security related.' In the wake of the collision, Qatar asked liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels to wait outside the Strait of Hormuz until they're ready to load amid escalating tensions in the region, according to Bloomberg. Iran has interfered with container shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in the past, having seized the 14,000 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) MSC Aries ship last April. Although Iran released the crew the next month, the country still retained control of the vessel.
Sky News AU
23-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
US-Iran tensions slow tanker traffic through Strait of Hormuz, trade group says
A growing number of cargo ships are said to be steering clear of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital artery for global oil and gas shipments, as tensions spike in the Middle East following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The world's largest shipping trade group, Bimco, says several operators have begun halting transits through one of the world's most critical chokepoints, which links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. While ship traffic had remained relatively stable in recent weeks, the mood shifted rapidly after Saturday's US strikes on key Iranian enrichment facilities. 'Before the US attack, the impact on shipping patterns was limited,' Jakob Larsen, Bimco's head of maritime security, told CNBC. 'Now, after the US attack, we have indications that the number of ships passing is reducing.' Larsen warned that if Iran begins retaliating by targeting vessels, 'it will most likely further reduce the number of ships transiting through the [Strait of Hormuz].' About 20% of worldwide oil and petroleum product consumption through 2024 and early 2025 was shipped through the strait, according to the US Energy Information Administration. It's also the primary export route for Qatari liquified natural gas, with around a fifth of all global LNG supply passing through last year, the agency said. Oil futures slid on Monday as traders appeared to downplay the risk of a major disruption to Middle East crude supplies, despite the US launching direct strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities over the weekend. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped 84 cents, or 1.14%, to $73 per barrel by 10:30 a.m. ET. Brent crude, the global benchmark, slipped 81 cents, or 1.05%, to $76.20. Prices initially surged overnight, with Brent topping $81 for the first time in weeks and WTI reaching its highest level since January. But momentum reversed after President Trump posted a message demanding that 'everyone' keep oil prices lower. It was unclear who he was targeting, though the remark was widely interpreted as a nudge to US producers to ramp up output. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs has warned that oil prices could surge to $110 per barrel if traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is severely disrupted — such as a 50% cut for one month followed by a sustained 10% reduction. The Wall Street giant forecasts Brent crude to average $95 in Q4 2025 under this scenario and cites a 52% probability that Iran will close the strait this year, based on Polymarket data. Given that the Strait of Hormuz handles about 20 million barrels daily, any prolonged disruption would pose serious risks to global energy markets. The US strikes targeting Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan marked a sharp escalation in Washington's backing of Israel's push to cripple Iran's nuclear ambitions. Tehran swiftly condemned the attacks and vowed to protect its sovereignty. In response, Iran's parliament reportedly approved a resolution to close the strait, though any final decision rests with the country's Supreme National Security Council. Some tankers have been instructed to hold off entering the strait until tensions ease, according to Andy Critchlow of S&P Global Commodity Insights. 'We have indications from shippers that they are putting tankers and vessels on standby,' Critchlow said Monday, adding that LNG suppliers in the region have asked buyers to delay movements to avoid having ships linger in the Gulf. Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen introduced a temporary standby policy for vessels heading toward the strait, limiting their time in the Gulf when schedules allow, S&P Global Commodity Insights reported. Although the company hasn't stopped navigation through the region, it's clearly proceeding with caution. Another major Japanese operator, Mitsui OSK Lines, has similarly asked its fleet to minimize time spent in the Gulf following the US airstrikes, according to Reuters. German container shipper Hapag-Lloyd said its vessels continue to transit the strait but warned the situation remains 'unpredictable' and could shift rapidly. A company spokesperson told CNBC that emergency protocols are in place if the conflict worsens. Shipping analysts said that container operations in the Persian Gulf and upper Indian Ocean have not been significantly affected as of Monday morning. But risk assessments are now being conducted continuously. 'All companies access the risk individually — but the current situation requires them all to do so several times a day,' Peter Sand, chief analyst at freight platform Xeneta, told CNBC. 'Staying in close dialogue with national intelligence agencies and their own captains onboard the ships.' Sand added that insurance premiums for ships in the region have 'probably' been raised again in light of Iran's threats. US officials have called on China — Tehran's biggest oil customer — to use its influence to dissuade Iran from blocking the strait. The potential closure would have far-reaching consequences for the global economy, pushing up energy prices, delaying shipments and straining diplomatic ties across the region. Originally published as US-Iran tensions slow tanker traffic through Strait of Hormuz, trade group says
New York Post
23-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
US-Iran tensions slow tanker traffic through Strait of Hormuz, trade group says
A growing number of cargo ships are said to be steering clear of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital artery for global oil and gas shipments, as tensions spike in the Middle East following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The world's largest shipping trade group, Bimco, says several operators have begun halting transits through one of the world's most critical chokepoints, which links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. While ship traffic had remained relatively stable in recent weeks, the mood shifted rapidly after Saturday's US strikes on key Iranian enrichment facilities. 5 Basij paramilitary force speed boats are sailing along the Persian Gulf in this 2024 file photo. NurPhoto via Getty Images 'Before the US attack, the impact on shipping patterns was limited,' Jakob Larsen, Bimco's head of maritime security, told CNBC. 'Now, after the US attack, we have indications that the number of ships passing is reducing.' Larsen warned that if Iran begins retaliating by targeting vessels, 'it will most likely further reduce the number of ships transiting through the [Strait of Hormuz].' About 20% of worldwide oil and petroleum product consumption through 2024 and early 2025 was shipped through the strait, according to the US Energy Information Administration. It's also the primary export route for Qatari liquified natural gas, with around a fifth of all global LNG supply passing through last year, the agency said. Oil futures slid on Monday as traders appeared to downplay the risk of a major disruption to Middle East crude supplies, despite the US launching direct strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities over the weekend. 5 The world's largest shipping trade group, Bimco, says several operators have begun halting transits through the narrow waterway that links the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea. Gallo Images via Getty Images West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped 84 cents, or 1.14%, to $73 per barrel by 10:30 a.m. ET. Brent crude, the global benchmark, slipped 81 cents, or 1.05%, to $76.20. Prices initially surged overnight, with Brent topping $81 for the first time in weeks and WTI reaching its highest level since January. But momentum reversed after President Trump posted a message demanding that 'everyone' keep oil prices lower. It was unclear who he was targeting, though the remark was widely interpreted as a nudge to US producers to ramp up output. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs has warned that oil prices could surge to $110 per barrel if traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is severely disrupted — such as a 50% cut for one month followed by a sustained 10% reduction. The Wall Street giant forecasts Brent crude to average $95 in Q4 2025 under this scenario and cites a 52% probability that Iran will close the strait this year, based on Polymarket data. 5 The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway through which millions of barrels of oil are transported daily. Given that the Strait of Hormuz handles about 20 million barrels daily, any prolonged disruption would pose serious risks to global energy markets. The US strikes targeting Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan marked a sharp escalation in Washington's backing of Israel's push to cripple Iran's nuclear ambitions. Tehran swiftly condemned the attacks and vowed to protect its sovereignty. In response, Iran's parliament reportedly approved a resolution to close the strait, though any final decision rests with the country's Supreme National Security Council. 5 The Post covered the US strike on Iran over the weekend. Some tankers have been instructed to hold off entering the strait until tensions ease, according to Andy Critchlow of S&P Global Commodity Insights. 'We have indications from shippers that they are putting tankers and vessels on standby,' Critchlow said Monday, adding that LNG suppliers in the region have asked buyers to delay movements to avoid having ships linger in the Gulf. Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen introduced a temporary standby policy for vessels heading toward the strait, limiting their time in the Gulf when schedules allow, S&P Global Commodity Insights reported. Keep up with today's most important news Stay up on the very latest with Evening Update. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Although the company hasn't stopped navigation through the region, it's clearly proceeding with caution. Another major Japanese operator, Mitsui OSK Lines, has similarly asked its fleet to minimize time spent in the Gulf following the US airstrikes, according to Reuters. German container shipper Hapag-Lloyd said its vessels continue to transit the strait but warned the situation remains 'unpredictable' and could shift rapidly. A company spokesperson told CNBC that emergency protocols are in place if the conflict worsens. 5 The image above shows the Fordo nuclear facility in Iran after it was targeted by US airstrikes over the weekend. MAXAR Technologies Shipping analysts said that container operations in the Persian Gulf and upper Indian Ocean have not been significantly affected as of Monday morning. But risk assessments are now being conducted continuously. 'All companies access the risk individually — but the current situation requires them all to do so several times a day,' Peter Sand, chief analyst at freight platform Xeneta, told CNBC. 'Staying in close dialogue with national intelligence agencies and their own captains onboard the ships.' Sand added that insurance premiums for ships in the region have 'probably' been raised again in light of Iran's threats. US officials have called on China — Tehran's biggest oil customer — to use its influence to dissuade Iran from blocking the strait. The potential closure would have far-reaching consequences for the global economy, pushing up energy prices, delaying shipments and straining diplomatic ties across the region.
