Gulf Of Oman News

Total Shipping Losses Are Declining, But Challenges Persist -Report

The record low 41 large shipping losses worldwide in 2019 represents a 20% improvement year-on-year and almost 70% over a decade, but the coronavirus crisis could endanger the long-term safety improvements in the shipping industry for 2020 and beyond, as difficult operating conditions and a sharp economic downturn present a unique set of challenges, according to recent report from marine insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS).Consequences of coronavirus and a sustained…

Bunkering at UAE's Fujairah Plummets in May

Ship fuelling activity in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, a bunkering and fuel storage hub in the Middle East, fell in May as declining demand was made worse by slowing global trade because of the coronavirus pandemic, four trade sources said.Fujairah's ship refueling, or bunkering, volumes shrank to about 200,000-300,000 tonnes in May, down from average volumes of about 700,000-800,000 tonnes, said the sources with knowledge of the regional trade who declined to be identified."It's all things COVID…

Mackay Marine Open for Business in the U.A.E.

Mackay Marine announced the opening of its newest marine electronics service center, in Fujairah, U.A.E., located on the east coast of the Gulf of Oman.Mackay Marine–UAE provides Comm & Nav electronics sales and service to vessels in ports throughout the U.A.E., including Fujairah, Jebel Ali, Dubai, Sharjah, Port Saeed, Khorkakkan, etc., as well as service ships in Dry Dock in Oman and Dubai.Mackay Marine’s Capabilities Include:Complete Comm & Nav services provided by a single cross-trained marine technician…

2 Shahid Ports Join Chabahar

The Members of Parliament (MPs) of Iranian Parliament (Majlis) approved the general outlines of a bill on attaching Shahid Kalantari Port and Shahid Beheshti Port to Chabahar Free Trade Zone in southeast of Iran.The attachment of two ports to Chabahar Free Zone has been put on agenda aiming at increasing investment attraction, encouraging production and exports, taking the most advantage of these two ports for increasing Iran’s share of global marine transportation and transit…

Japan Sending Warship, Aircraft to Middle East

Japan will send a warship and patrol planes to protect Japanese ships in the Middle East as the situation in the region, from which it sources nearly 90% of its crude oil imports, remains volatile, Japan's top government spokesman said on Friday.Under the plan approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet, a helicopter-equipped destroyer and two P-3C patrol planes will be dispatched for information-gathering aimed at ensuring safe passage for Japanese vessels through the region.If there are any emergencies…

Iran building oil pipeline to terminal outside Gulf

Iran is building a $1.8 billion oil pipeline to its port of Jask outside the mouth of the Gulf, the country's oil minister said, as part of plans to protect its exports against potential problems in the region and to boost shipments of Caspian oil.Iran has been planning since at least 2012 to set up the terminal on the Gulf of Oman, just outside the Strait of Hormuz.Tehran has threatened to block the vital Gulf oil shipping route during its standoff with the United States, after Washington last year withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and reimposed sanctions…

Iran Builds Mechanized Terminal in Shahid Rajaee Port

Iran is all set to build the country's largest mineral mechanized terminal collaborating with the private sector in Shahid Rajaee port.Mohammad Ali Hassanzadeh, Deputy Director of Ports and economic Affairs of Ports and Maritime Organization said: “A contract will be signed with the private sector to build the country's largest mineral mechanized terminal in Shahid Rajaee Port within the next few days.”The final capacity of the terminal is 50 million tons and is being implemented in three phases.

Chabahar Port Signs 11 Investment Contracts

Chabahar Port, the seaport located in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman, has signed 11 investment contracts.Considering this, it is expected that by the end of this year significant investments will be made in this port,  said the Director General of Ports and Maritime of Sistan and Baluchestan, Behrouz Aghaei.Aghaei added that 12 companies have already invested in Chabahar port.Due to the increase in annual loading and unloading capacity of Chabahar port, the port offers great investment opportunities…

War Risk Costs Impact UAE Bunkers, Singapore benefits

Shippers trying to minimise time in the Middle East after oil tanker attacks pushed up insurance costs are scaling back purchases of marine fuels from the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Fujairah oil hub, trade sources said.Instead, they are turning primarily to Singapore, the world's top refuelling hub, to buy marine fuels, also known as bunkers, with some diverting to smaller bunkering ports, including in India and Sri Lanka, the sources said.A tonne of 380-centistoke (cst) high…

Unarmed Guards Deployed to Navigate Gulf

Shipping companies are hiring unarmed security guards for voyages through the Middle East Gulf as an extra safeguard after a wave of attacks in the region, security companies involved said.Relations between Iran and the West are increasingly strained after Britain seized an Iranian tanker in Gibraltar this month. Britain also said last week that one of its warships had to fend off Iranian vessels seeking to block a UK-owned tanker from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.As the risk of escalation grows…

Hapag-Lloyd Adds VRS

German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd has decided to implement a global vessel risk surcharge (VRS) following recent maritime incidents in the Gulf of Oman.The container line said that operating costs for its services have increased in the Middle East Gulf region as a result of tanker attacks that took place in the Strait of Hormuz.Other major carriers including CMA CGM, X-Press Feeders, and NYK have already impose a war risk surcharge on cargo destined for the Arabian Gulf or Middle East region due to heightened tensions in the region.As of July 15…

Maersk, Major Shippers Hike Gulf-bound Box Rates

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MSCI Advisory: Regional Conflict and Piracy

2019-007-Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Indian Ocean-Violence Due to Regional Conflict and PiracyDescription:This revised advisory cancels U.S. Maritime Advisory 2018-0151. References: (a) U.S. Maritime Alerts 2018-001A, 2018-002A, 2018-002B, 2018-005A, and 2018-007A2. Issues: Regional conflict and piracy threats continue to pose potential risks to commercial vessels operating in the above listed geographic areas.3. Conflict in Yemen continues to pose potential risk to U.S.

Trump Warns Tehran of Possible Attack, Calls for Talks

Iranian officials told Reuters on Friday that Tehran had received a message from U.S. President Donald Trump warning that a U.S. attack on Iran was imminent but saying he was against war and wanted talks on a range of issues.News of the message, delivered through Oman overnight, came shortly after the New York Times said Trump had approved military strikes against Iran on Friday over the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, but called them off at the last minute."In his message…

Anti-terror Boat Stopping technology makes waves

A British company’s boat stopping systems which can quickly stop boats used in terrorism and narco trafficking without harming the boat or its passengers is making waves.Security Equipment specialists, BCB International Ltd,  have developed a new range of boat stopping systems which use compressed air and specialized vessel disabling projectiles. BCB International Boss, Andrew Howell, said: ”BCB’s boat stopping systems were inspired by the police road stingers used to stop speeding and runaway cars.

Saudis Urge Global Effort to Safeguard Local Navigation

Saudi Arabia's cabinet urged the international community on Tuesday to take firm measures to ensure the safety of navigation in waterways across the region, the state news agency said, a week after two tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman.Reporting by Asma Alsharif

Iran: If Strait of Hormuz to be Blocked, it will do it "publicly"

Iran's military denied on Monday being behind attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week, and said if it decided to block Strait of Hormuz, a vital gateway in the Gulf for the oil industry, it will do it publicly.Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Major General Mohammad Baqeri was quoted as saying by Fars news agency: "Regarding the new incidents in the Persian Gulf... if the Islamic Republic of Iran decides to block exports of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, it is militarily strong enough to do that fully and publicly."Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin

Frontline Updates on Damaged LR2 Tanker

John Fredriksen's tanker shipping company Frontline has provided an update on the LR2 tanker Front Altair. Vessel Front Altair was among two ships attacked off the coast of Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman."On the morning of June 13, at approximately 0500 hrs gmt, an explosion occurred on the Front Altair shortly after the vessel had passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf," it said.Most importantly, the 23 crew members onboard the Front Altair are unharmed after being…

DHT and Heidmar Halt New Bookings to Mid-East Gulf

Oil tanker owners DHT Holdings and Heidmar have suspended new bookings to the Mid-East Gulf, three ship brokers said, following suspected attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday.DHT has a large fleet of Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and Heidmar has a wide range of oil tankers.

Two Tankers Attacked in Gulf of Oman

Two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, leaving one ablaze and both adrift, shipping firms said, driving oil prices as much as 4% higher over worries about Middle East supplies.The Front Altair, carrying petrochemical feedstock, was on fire in waters between Gulf Arab states and Iran after an explosion that a source blamed on a magnetic mine. The Norwegian owner said its crew were safe.A second Japanese-owned tanker was abandoned after being hit by a suspected torpedo, the firm that chartered the ship said.

Iran: 30% Growth at Chabahar Port

The unloading and loading operations of cargo in Shahid Beheshti and Shahid Kalantari ports of Chabahar have increased by 30% in the first two months of the year Compared to the same period last year.“During the first two months of the year, the cargo unloading and loading operations in Chabahar port increased by 30% compared to the same period last year", said Hossein Shahdadi, the Deputy of Port and Economic Affairs of the General Directorate of Ports and maritime affairs in…

Japan Oil Industry Braces for Higher Middle East P&I Costs

The costs of buying crude oil from the Middle East could rise as war insurance for ships travelling in the region will be expanded to include vessels travelling off the United Arab Emirates and Oman, the head of Japan Petroleum Association said on Friday.Japan is the world's fourth-largest oil importer and imports 90% of its crude from the Middle East, government data showed.Asian shippers and refiners had put ships heading to the Middle East on alert and were expecting a possible rise in marine insurance premiums following attacks on Saudi oil tankers and pipeline facilities earlier in May.Ta

London P&I clubs Widen Middle East Threat Zone

London's marine insurance market has extended the list of waters deemed high risk to include Oman, the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf after ship attacks off Fujairah, officials said on Friday, in a move that could push up premiums.The London insurance market's Joint War Committee said in a statement that the additions cover areas of perceived enhanced risk for marine insurers and reflected enhanced regional risk."The situation will be kept under close review," said the Joint War Committee…

Iran to Build Crude Oil Storage Facility at Gulf of Oman Port

A unit of the National Iranian Oil Co. (NIOC) signed a deal with a local firm on Sunday to build a crude oil storage facility near Iran's southeastern port of Jask with an initial investment of 200 million euros ($232 million), the oil ministry news website SHANA reported.State-run NIOC's subsidiary Petroleum Engineering and Development Co. (PEDEC) signed the agreement with Petro Omid Asia Co. to build the facility with a total capacity of 10 million barrels on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis in Jask…

BorWin Gamma Platform Sails Away

The offshore converter platform, BorWin gamma, has now safely set sail from Dubai and begun its journey to  its offshore site in the German part of the North Sea.Through the Gulf of Oman, the 18,000 ton ‘topside’ will pass into the Red Sea before going through the Suez Canal onto the Mediterranean and past Gibraltar. The journey then moves through the Bay of Biscay, to the English Channel and into the North Sea where it will be integrated with the ‘jacket’ nearly 130 kilometres off the German coast.Along with BorWin3…

From Desert to Delaware

Gulftainer strives for top six in terminals.Sharjah is a glimmering city-state carved from the desert, the third largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates and the only one to have land on both the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. And soon, within weeks, a company based in Sharjah could control one of the most strategically located marine ports in the United States. Gulftainer through its subsidiary GT USA, Wilmington has inked a deal with the State of Delaware, USA, which would grant GT USA…