Shipping

Zelensky halts drone strikes on Black Sea oil tankers in Russian port after demand from US VP Vance

Ukraine agreed to not target non-Russian ships, so long as they were not sanctioned by Ukraine or carrying any Russian cargo.  

A member of "Timur's Special Forces Unit" of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine waits on a military boat next to Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island, located in the Black Sea, on August 14, 2025.
The sun sets behind the Doha skyline on August 4, 2026.

Gulf states pay the price as shipping crisis exposes costly dependence on the Strait of Hormuz

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 26, 2026.

Iran says Oman deal is in 'final stages,' but US must act first to open Strait of Hormuz

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 15, 2026.

IRGC says re-opening Hormuz dependent on US talks, as Araghchi signals progress on Hormuz deal


Red Sea shipping drops after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil sites, data shows

Eleven commodity vessels passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Sunday, the lowest level in months, the data showed.

A Houthi follower rises a weapon as he attends a rally marking one year of Saudi-led air strikes, in Yemen's capital Sanaa.

Hormuz tanker crossings slip to lowest in more than two months, data shows

One tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz on July 23, compared with three the day earlier, data from analytics firm Kpler showed, as ships are being rerouted to paths that take significantly longer.

A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 23, 2026.

Saudi tankers make U-turn in Red Sea, head towards Suez following Houthi blockade announcement

The Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front against the United States in its war with Iran and raising the threat to global energy supplies.

HOUTHI TERRORISTS carry weapons as they stand near the site of Israeli airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, in September. Iran has reportedly lost control of the Houthis, the writer notes.

US still open to diplomatic solution with Iran if attacks in Strait of Hormuz end, Rubio says

Rubio also stated that there was a "growing split" in Iran between the more militant extremists who continue to attack the US and other countries and those who are concerned with Iran's economy.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio walks from a vehicle before departing from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on July 19, 2026.

Five survivors found clinging to fish trap after Indonesian boat sinks with dozens missing

Forty-nine survivors were located in total since the boat sank last week, though another 20 people reportedly remain missing as the search continues.

Rescuers search for missing people during an operation after a passenger boat KM Nurul Salsa sank off Selayar island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, July 17, 2026.

Strait of Hormuz seeing less traffic as threat from Iran increases to commercial sailors - report

According to the International Maritime Organization, at least 17 sailors have been killed since the beginning of the war, with three killed and over a dozen wounded in the last week alone.

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 26, 2026.

Blockades and fees: Why are the US’s actions in Hormuz legal while Iran’s are not? - interview

Though US President Donald Trump has since abandoned the idea, he suggested that vessels should pay a 20% fee on all cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for US military protection.

The Epaminondas ship is seen during seizure by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, in this image obtained by Reuters on April 24, 2026.

Iran's attacks on Emirati tankers leaves Gulf united against Islamic regime - analysis

Gulf solidarity is now emerging in an even larger way than before. While some countries want an agreement that will end the fighting, they are also outraged by Iran’s new attacks.

The VLCC Mobassa B (previously named Front Forth), one of the two tankers which the UAE defense ministry said was struck by Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, seen in Rotterdam, Netherlands, August 18, 2024

Horn of Africa growing increasingly important in Middle East power plays - analysis

Military agreements, port investments, and competing positions on Somalia, Somaliland, and Sudan are drawing the African and Arabian shores of the Red Sea into a single geopolitical arena.

The Horn of Africa is seen on a map (illustrative)

Strait of Hormuz traffic slows as US-Iran conflict raises new safety risks

Six vessels transited the strait on Sunday, ship-tracking data from Kpler showed, the lowest number in five weeks.

A ship in the Strait of Hormuz, June 2026