By Luke Baker LONDON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Iran is unlikely to block the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest oil-shipping channel, in reprisal for the killing of Qassem Soleimani for fear of aggravating its Gulf allies and China, regional analysts said on Monday. Tehran has long threatened to block the waterway between Iran and Oman - 33 km (21 miles) wide at its narrowest … [Read more...]
United States Warns Commercial Vessels of Threat from Iran
The United States has reissued an alert to commercial vessels in the Middle East to the maritime threat from the Iranian military and its proxies following the United States’ killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. The alert (2020-001B) covers the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean. “Multiple maritime … [Read more...]
Oil Shippers Raise Offers for Middle East Route on Gulf Risk
By Serene Cheong, Sharon Cho and Ann Koh (Bloomberg) --Owners of oil tankers are boosting their rates to haul crude on a key route from the Middle East as risks in the Gulf escalate after Iran retaliated against the U.S. killing of a top general. Shipowners are offering rates for supertankers carrying crude from the Persian Gulf to China at increasingly higher levels, in … [Read more...]
Risk to Shipping Set to Rise in Middle East with U.S. Attack on Top Iranian Commander
By Brian Wingfield and Firat Kayakiran (Bloomberg) --The risk to shipping in the Persian Gulf region is set to rise following a U.S. airstrike in Iraq that killed a top Iranian commander, just months after spiking to record levels on heightened geopolitical risk. The attack, for which Iran has vowed retaliation, escalates tensions in a region that exports much of the world’s … [Read more...]
Japan Plans to Send 270 Sailors to Guard Ships in Middle East
TOKYO, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Japan is working on a plan to send about 270 seamen to the Middle East to guard ships supplying Japan under a law that allows military deployments for research and intelligence gathering, the Nikkei business daily said. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering a January visit to the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, … [Read more...]