Articles by Jonathan Saul

Shipping Firms Begin Hiring Unarmed Guards for Voyages in Middle East 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 …

As Lloyd’s Jettisons Some Marine Insurance Lines, Opportunities Created for Rivals

Rivals to Lloyd’s of London are riding a rising tide of marine insurance rates, leaving the 330-year-old market behind after it jettisoned sections of its oldest line of business last year. Premiums for marine insurance, which until 2018 had fallen …

Violations of IMO 2020 Emissions Rules for Shipping Could Hit Insurance Cover

Tougher rules on sulfur emissions from ships will come into effect next year in the biggest shake-up for the oil and shipping industries for decades. United Nations shipping agency the International Maritime Organization (IMO) met in London this week for …

London Marine Insurers Expand Middle East Threat Zone After Saudi Ship Attacks

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. …

Insurer Says Iran’s Guards Likely Facilitated Saudi Tanker Attacks: Reuters

Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) are “highly likely” to have facilitated attacks last Sunday on four tankers including two Saudi ships off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, according to a Norwegian insurers’ report seen by Reuters. The UAE, Saudi …

London’s Marine Insurers to Assess Risk Level After Ship Attacks in Middle East

London’s marine insurance market will meet on Thursday to assess whether it needs to change the risk level for vessels in the Gulf after an attack on ships off the United Arab Emirates earlier this week, a senior official said …

Lloyd’s Innovation Drive Faces Headwinds from Some Brokers, Underwriters

Lloyd’s of London, the world’s oldest insurer of seafaring vessels, is facing its own perfect storm. Old-fashioned business practices, exposure to natural disasters, competition from rival centers and Brexit are all threatening Lloyd’s reputation as the place to insure anything …

UN Shipping Agency Seeks to Clamp Down on Rogue Shipping Companies

The United Nations’ shipping agency is working on tougher measures to clamp down on rogue shipping companies trying to use flag registries fraudulently to conceal their activities, officials said. All commercial ships have to be registered – flagged in a …

Lloyd’s Conducts Business Review in Wake of 2017’s $2.6 Billion Loss: Sources

Lloyd’s of London is reviewing all aspects of its business, including its centuries-old structure, to ensure it is cost-competitive and responsive to both clients and members, especially after Britain leaves the EU, industry sources said. The review, coming after a …

U.S. Sanctions Likely to Ban Use of Lloyd’s IT Platform for Processing Iran Insurance

New U.S. sanctions are likely to prevent the use of a Lloyd’s of London IT platform for any Iran insurance, adding to difficulties for European insurers providing cover for the country. European insurers, reinsurers, brokers and shipping firms have been …