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The Star
08-08-2025
- The Star
Iraq detains oil tanker as part of smuggling crackdown, officials say
OFF IRAQ'S COAST (Reuters) -Iraq's navy has detained a Liberian-flagged oil tanker in its territorial waters as part of a crackdown on fuel smuggling at sea, sources with the navy and oil and transport ministries said on Friday. Smuggling is common in Gulf waters, where heavily subsidised fuel from some countries is sold on the black market to buyers across the region, though it has been relatively rare until recently for Iraqi authorities to seize ships. The vessel - identified by both the authorities and shipping sources as the Liliana tanker - was carrying 93,000 metric tons of fuel oil when it was intercepted earlier this week 26 nautical miles from Iraq's coast near Basra's oil terminal. Reuters footage showed an armed Iraqi military team boarding and searching the vessel on Tuesday with the crew being questioned and their passports checked. Another ship was also stopped and searched, the footage showed. Farhan Al-Fartousi, head of the General Company for Iraqi Ports, said the authorities had launched a comprehensive inspection operation after receiving information about smuggling and illegal oil operations in the area. "Any vessels ... engaging in suspicious activities within Iraqi territorial waters will be detained, and anyone proven guilty and anyone involved will be arrested," he told Reuters during an inspection of the tanker. The oil on board was suspected to be of Iraqi origin and was potentially being smuggled out of the country, the naval and ministry sources said. They added that the vessel would remain in the location where it was seized until its papers were referred to the judiciary. It would then be towed to a port for a court to rule on the matter. Liliana's ship manager, which was listed in shipping databases as Dubai-headquartered Babylon Navigation, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The vessel's last position was at anchor off the Iraqi coast with its previous destination listed as the Iraqi port of Khor Al Zubair, LSEG ship tracking data showed on Friday. In March, Iraqi naval forces seized an unidentified ship in Iraqi territorial waters in the Gulf that was also suspected of smuggling fuel. (Reporting by Mohammed Ati, Aref Mohammed in Basra in Basra, Muayad Kenany in Baghdad and Jonathan Saul in London; Writing by Jonathan Saul; Editing by Joe Bavier)
Japan Today
10-07-2025
- Japan Today
Rescuers save four more survivors from Houthi-struck ship in Red Sea; 10 still missing
Plumes of smoke rise from what is said to be Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier, the MV Magic Seas that was, according to Yemen's Houthis, attacked following an alleged exchange with the captain, off southwest Yemen, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on July 8, 2025. HOUTHI MEDIA CENTER/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. TEXT OVERLAY FROM SOURCE. By Renee Maltezou and Jonathan Saul Rescuers pulled three more crew members and a security guard alive from the Red Sea on Thursday, maritime security sources said, a day after Houthi militants sank the Greek ship Eternity C and said they were holding some of the crew still missing. It was the second Greek bulk carrier sunk this week by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia, shattering months of relative calm off Yemen's coast, the gateway to the Red Sea and a critical route for oil and commodities to the world. Many shipping companies have suspended voyages due to the fear of attack. The Houthis are believed to be holding six of the Eternity C's complement of 22 crew and three guards, maritime security sources said. Eternity C was first hit on Monday with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speed boats. On Thursday, the Greek operator of the vessel, Cosmoship Management, confirmed that so far ten people have been rescued - eight Filipino crew members, one Indian and one Greek security guard. Ten remain unaccounted for, including one guard, it said. One person is believed dead and another four have not been seen since the attack on the ship, the company added. If confirmed, the casualties would be the first fatalities in the area since June 2024. The crew were forced to jump into the water, following a second attack on the vessel on Tuesday morning. Rescuers have been searching for survivors since Wednesday morning. The four people rescued on Thursday morning had spent nearly 48 hours in the water. On Wednesday, the Houthis' military spokesperson said in a televised address that the Yemeni navy had "responded to rescue a number of the ship's crew, provide them with medical care, and transport them to a safe location". The United States Mission to Yemen has accused the Houthis of kidnapping crew members and has called for their immediate, unconditional safe release. "We understand that the Houthis have picked up some people and we are working through multiple channels as a matter of priority to verify this information," Cosmoship Management said. Rescuers are continuing their search, said Cosmoship, which has asked vessels passing in the area to assist in that effort. Eternity C had delivered a cargo for the UN World Food Program to Berbera, Somalia, and was sailing in ballast condition to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for fuel at the time of the first attack on Monday, the operator said. The vessel went down on Wednesday, days after Houthis hit and sank the Magic Seas, reviving a campaign launched in November 2023 that has seen more than 100 ships attacked in what the group said was solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza war. Both of the vessels hit this week flew Liberian flags and were operated by Greek companies. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it sank. Some of their sister vessels in the respective fleets had made calls to Israeli ports in the past year, an analysis of shipping data showed. "These are blameless victims who were simply doing their job," the UK-based Seafarers' Charity association said. "Seafarers should be able to work safely at sea. Instead, they are being unfairly forced into the firing line." Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen's Houthi fighters, reiterated in a televised address on Thursday the group's ban on companies transporting goods related to Israel through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. He said this week's attacks were part of that ban, which has been in place since 2023. "It was never stopped or cancelled, and it is a valid decision," he said. "What was discovered (this week) was the violation by some companies of the decision." The insurance cost of shipping goods through the Red Sea has more than doubled since this week's attacks, with some underwriters pausing cover for some voyages, industry sources said on Thursday. The number of daily sailings through the narrow Bab al-Mandab strait, at the southern tip of the Red Sea and a gateway to the Gulf of Aden, was 32 vessels on July 9, down from 43 on July 1, Lloyd's List Intelligence data showed. Several ships on Thursday broadcast messages referring to Chinese crew and management or armed guards on board, according to MarineTraffic data. One vessel broadcast that it had no relation with Israel. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Sea insurance soars after deadly Houthi ship attacks
By Jonathan Saul LONDON (Reuters) -The insurance cost of shipping goods through the Red Sea has more than doubled in recent days after Yemen's Houthis attacked and sank two ships, killing at least four seafarers after months of calm, industry sources said on Thursday. The Red Sea is a critical waterway for oil and commodities but traffic has dropped sharply since Houthi attacks off Yemen's coast began in November 2023 in what the Iran-aligned group said was in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war. War risk premiums have risen to around 0.7% of the value of a ship, from around 0.3% last week before the latest attacks took place, sources familiar with the matter said, with some underwriters pausing cover for some voyages. Rates for a typical seven-day voyage period, which are set by individual underwriters, have been quoted this week at up to 1%, matching the peak level in 2024 when there were daily attacks. This adds hundreds of thousands of dollars in further costs for every shipment. "The recent attacks in the Red Sea have highlighted the need for caution when considering a transit," said Neil Roberts, head of marine and aviation with the Lloyd's Market Association, which represents the interests of all underwriting businesses in Lloyd's of London. A Houthi attack on the Greek ship Eternity C on Wednesday killed four of the 25 people aboard, maritime officials said. On Thursday, rescuers pulled four more survivors from the Red Sea. Houthi militants said they were holding some of the crew still missing. The attack followed the sinking of another Greek-operated vessel on Monday, which the Houthis claimed responsibility for. Some of their sister vessels had made calls to Israeli ports in the past year, an analysis of shipping data showed. The Houthis attacked more than 100 ships from November 2023 to December 2024. In May, the U.S. announced a deal to stop bombing the Houthis in return for an end to shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel. Insurance industry sources said underwriters would try to avoid covering any vessel with links with Israel, even if it was indirect. "What we have seen in the last week appears to be ... a return to mid-2024 targeting criteria, which essentially involves any vessel with even a remote Israeli connection," said Munro Anderson, head of operations at marine war risk insurance specialist Vessel Protect. "With ambiguity comes risk."
The Star
08-07-2025
- The Star
Two crew dead after attack on Greek vessel in Red Sea, Liberian shipping delegation says
LONDON (Reuters) -Two crew members of the Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated, bulk carrier Eternity C were killed after an attack by sea drones and speedboats off Yemen on Monday evening, Liberia's shipping delegation told a meeting of the UN shipping agency IMO on Tuesday. The deaths, the first since June 2024, bring the total number of seafarers killed in attacks on vessels in the Red Sea to six. (Reporting by Jonathan Saul; Writing by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Daily Maverick
08-07-2025
- Daily Maverick
Two crew wounded, two missing in attack on ship off Yemen; Houthis claim assault on Greek bulk carrier
Houthis claim responsibility for attack on Greek bulk carrier They say Liberian-flagged Magic Seas sank, manager says not verified Crew arrive safely in Djibouti Second Greek vessel attacked off Yemen, two crew members wounded, two missing, ship manager says Eternity C is adrift, EU naval force Aspides official says By Renee Maltezou, Jonathan Saul and Yannis Souliotis Monday's attack 50 nautical miles southwest of the port of Hodeidah was the second assault against merchant vessels in the vital shipping corridor by Houthis since November 2024, said an official at the European Union´s Operation Aspides, assigned to help protect Red Sea shipping. The Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier Eternity C with 22 members on board – 21 Filipinos and one Russian – was attacked with sea drones and skiffs, its manager, Cosmoship Management, told Reuters. Two crew members were seriously wounded and two were missing, the company said, adding that three armed security guards were on board. The vessel's bridge was hit and telecommunications were impacted. The ship was adrift, an Aspides official said later, after an attack by sea drones and four speedboats with individuals who launched at least four rocket-propelled grenades. The ship had not requested escort or protection from the naval force, the official added. There was no claim of responsibility for the attack. Earlier, the Houthis claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack on the Greek-operated MV Magic Seas bulk carrier off southwest Yemen. The raid involved gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades from eight skiffs as well as missiles and four uncrewed surface vessels. The 19 crew members were forced to abandon the Liberian-flagged vessel as it was taking on water. They were picked up by a passing ship and have arrived safely in Djibouti, sources said. Houthis said they sunk the vessel. But Michael Bodouroglou, a representative of Stem Shipping, one of the ship's commercial managers, said there was no independent verification. The crew had reported fires at the vessel's forepeak, in the bow. The engine room and at least two holds were flooded, and there was no electricity. Aspides had earlier warned of a risk of explosion in the ship's vicinity. Since Israel's war in Gaza against the Palestinian militant group Hamas began in October 2023, the Houthis have been attacking Israel and vessels in the Red Sea in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians. Israel has struck Houthi targets in response, launching strikes on Monday for the first time in nearly a month. A U.S.-Houthi ceasefire deal in May did not include Israel. The latest attacks highlight a growing operational risk to commercial operators whose vessels have called at Israeli ports, Maritime security firm Diaplous said. Magic Seas was carrying iron and fertilisers from China to Turkey, a voyage that appeared low-risk as it had nothing to do with Israel, Bodouroglou said, adding that Stem Shipping had received no warning of the attack. But the fleet of Allseas Marine, Magic Seas' other commercial manager, had made calls to Israeli ports over the past year, according to analysis by UK-based maritime risk management company Vanguard Tech. 'These factors put the Magic Seas at an extreme risk of being targeted,' said Ellie Shafik, head of intelligence with Vanguard Tech. The manager of ETERNITY C is also affiliated with vessels that have made calls to Israeli ports, security sources said. John Xylas, chairman of the dry bulk shipping association Intercargo, said the crew were 'innocent people, simply doing their jobs, keeping global trade moving'. 'No one at sea should ever face such violence,' he said.
