Articles by Jeslyn Lerh, Florence Tan and Jonathan Saul

Two Oil Tankers on Fire in Waters Near Singapore, Crew Members Rescued

Two large oil tankers were on fire on Friday after colliding near Singapore, the world’s biggest refueling port, with two crew members airlifted to hospital and others rescued from life rafts, authorities and one of the tanker owners said. Singapore …

Houthis Escalate Red Sea Danger With Explosive Drone Attacks

Yemen’s Houthis are sending drone boats packed with explosives into the Red Sea as they intensify their attacks on merchant ships that have little defense against the “sophisticated shift” in tactic, maritime security sources say. Iran-aligned Houthi militants first launched …

Shipping Industry Urges Red Sea Action as Houthis Sink Second Vessel

Urgent action must be taken in the Red Sea to stop attacks on merchant shipping by Yemen’s Houthis, leading industry groups said on Wednesday, after the sinking of a second ship. Iran-aligned Houthi militants first launched drone and missile strikes …

Safety Dangers From Sanctioned Tanker Fleet Growing, Ship Manager Says

Safety dangers are growing from aging and unregulated vessels, leading ship management firm V.Group told Reuters, adding it had stopped providing services to 30 tankers last year after they were sold to companies that did not pass compliance checks. Up …

Sanctioned Oil Tankers Pose Rising Environmental Risk in Mediterranean, Greece Says

Unregulated tankers sidestepping Western sanctions are posing a bigger risk to the Mediterranean region and Greece is undertaking more protective measures to safeguard its coast, the country’s shipping minister told Reuters on Tuesday. Up to 850 oil tankers are estimated …

Growing Shadow Fleet of Tankers, Shipping Sanctioned Oil, Are Burning Dirty Fuel

The growing shadow fleet of tankers transporting sanctioned Iranian, Venezuelan and Russian oil is filling up with the cheapest fuel available, hindering industry efforts to use cleaner fuel to cut shipping emissions, according to shipping data and sources. The global …

Russian Certifier Steps in After India Drops Safety Cover for Sanctioned Oil Tankers

India’s ship certification agency has withdrawn safety cover issued to Russian oil tankers that have been placed under U.S. sanctions, according to its website, with the vessels instead turning to a domestic provider. Major insurers and ship engine makers have …

Broker Howden Launches Red Sea Cargo War Insurance as Ship Risks Surge

Howden has started offering war risk cargo insurance to cover vessels sailing through the Red Sea against drone and missile attacks as geopolitical tensions escalate in the region, the UK-based insurance broker told Reuters on Tuesday. The cost of insuring …

Red Sea Fighting Traps Two Oil Ships in Houthi Waters

Two tankers, containing oil and toxic waste, are stuck in the Red Sea in the firing line between Western naval forces and Yemen’s Houthi militants despite repeated efforts by the United Nations to empty and move the ships to avoid …

Somali Pirates’ Return Adds to Crisis for Global Shipping Companies

As a speed boat carrying more than a dozen Somali pirates bore down on their position in the western Indian Ocean, the crew of a Bangladeshi-owned bulk carrier sent out a distress signal and called an emergency hotline. No one …