Topic
Crude oil
Every Vessel Hunter story on Crude oil: 23 stories, from 4 August 2026 to 9 October 2026. Newest: "Malaysia says it cannot police shadow fleet transfers as Iranian oil offshore runs low". Each story links to the ships and ports it names, so a name in the text opens the record behind it.
Malaysia says it cannot police shadow fleet transfers as Iranian oil offshore runs low
Malaysia's transport minister says ship-to-ship transfers beyond port limits are outside its reach, as Iran's floating crude off Malaysia falls to about 10 million barrels.
Lila Global sells 20-year-old VLCC Vadin for $117m, nearly double its price
Lila Global has sold the 2006-built VLCC Vadin, ex-Kasagisan, for $117m, months after buying her from Mitsui OSK Lines for $60.5m.
Japan sanctions 35 shadow fleet ships in its first vessel designations
Japan has designated 35 ships tied to Russian oil exports, its first sanctions on individual vessels: services, financing and crew supply now need permission.
Al Funtas and three more tankers hit in Hormuz as Gulf crude exports recover
Kuwait's VLCC Al Funtas and at least three other tankers were struck around the Strait of Hormuz in the last days of September, even as Gulf oil exports climbed back to near prewar volumes.
Three VLCCs stopped under the Iran blockade head across the Atlantic towards the US
Three VLCCs stopped by US forces under the Iran blockade, Tifani, Majestic X and Lenore, are sailing towards the United States with about six million barrels of Iranian crude.
Onex DMCC linked to five VLCC purchases as supertanker values climb
Dubai trading house Onex DMCC is now linked to at least five VLCC purchases, from the record $200m Pinios to the 26-year-old Dennie, as the benchmark Gulf-China rate passed $1m a day.
Shell completes $840m sale of Na Kika and Coulomb interests to Talos and Ridgewood
Shell Offshore has completed the sale of its Na Kika platform and Coulomb field interests in the US Gulf to Talos Energy and a Ridgewood Energy affiliate for about $840m in cash.
Aramco begins partial restart of East-West Pipeline as Yanbu books a cargo
Saudi Aramco can now restart part of the flow on its East-West Pipeline, damaged in a drone attack on 11 September, and one crude export loading has already been scheduled at Yanbu.
Chinese yards take 82% of new orders as crude routes lengthen
Chinese shipbuilders booked 121.06m dwt of new orders in the first half of 2026, 82.3% of the world total, as owners ordered large tankers for the longer crude voyages the Hormuz closure created.
Pantheon Sells 2011-Built VLCC Sea Leopard for $135m, Above Newbuild Price
Brokers report Pantheon Tankers has sold the 2011-built, 314,000 dwt Sea Leopard for $135m, more than the headline cost of ordering a new VLCC for delivery several years out.
Trafigura Carves Out 14-Ship VLCC Arm With $500m Placement and Oslo Listing
Trafigura is opening its VLCC fleet to outside investors through Volare Shipping, a Singapore-incorporated company raising about $500m ahead of a planned Euronext Growth Oslo listing on or about 5 October.
VLCC Freight Adds $26 a Barrel and Starts to Shrink US Gulf-Asia Crude
The Middle East Gulf-China VLCC benchmark reached $1.2125m a day on 17 September, ten times its pre-conflict level, and freight now adds roughly $26 to every barrel moved from the US Gulf to Asia.
Yanbu Loadings Paused as East-West Pipeline Damage Halts Flow
Loading has been suspended at Yanbu after attacks on the East-West Pipeline, removing a terminal that had been lifting around four million barrels a day, roughly four percent of global supply.
Prompt VLCC Tonnage Now Outprices the Newbuilding Market
Frontline has paid out a special dividend on the sale of two VLCCs at $135m each, while the sale-and-purchase market discusses $200m for a ship available immediately.
Drone strike damages Suezmax tanker Siren in the Black Sea
The Liberia-flagged crude carrier Siren was struck by drones overnight while crossing the Black Sea, damaging her accommodation block without injuries or an oil spill.
Panama Pays $191.7m for Full Ownership of Its Cross-Country Oil Corridor
Panama has bought the remaining 41% of Petroterminal de Panama, taking full state ownership of a pipeline and terminal system that works as a second canal for hydrocarbons.
Hormuz Stalemate Keeps Brent Near $86 With a $100 Risk Case in the Forecasts
The EIA has lifted its third-quarter Brent forecast by $11 to about $85 a barrel, while Rabobank now sees $90 for both the third and fourth quarters of 2026.
Hormuz Transits Fall to Two Vessels in a Day, Lowest Since May
Only two ships entered the Strait of Hormuz on August 24, the lowest daily count since early May, with fewer than 20 commercial vessels crossing over the weekend.
US Night Convoys Move 10 Million Barrels a Day Through the Strait of Hormuz
US forces are escorting 15 to 20 tankers a night through the Strait of Hormuz on a southern route hugging Oman, moving around 10 million barrels of oil daily.
German Court Leaves Eventin Crude Cargo Sale Blocked as Case Drags
The Hamburg Finance Court has closed the expedited track and will wait for the main ruling, keeping customs barred from confiscating or selling the crude.
Suezmax Skiros Attacked After Loading at the CPC Terminal
The Greek-run Suezmax Skiros was attacked in the Black Sea after loading Russian-origin crude at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal near Novorossiysk, with no injuries or pollution reported.
Covert Hormuz Crossings Are Holding Global Oil Prices in Check
Middle Eastern producers are shuttling crude out of the Persian Gulf undetected and transferring it to tankers in the Gulf of Oman, keeping Brent between $80 and $90 through August.
Russian crude discounts to India collapse as Hormuz disruption bites
Discounts on Russian Urals crude delivered to India have fallen to between $1 and $2 a barrel against dated Brent this week, according to three trade sources.
Never miss a move
Maritime, in motion. In your inbox.
The vessel sales, incidents, and market moves worth knowing, sent as they happen.