Wheat Futures Reach Three-Year High as Black Sea Loadings Stall
Chicago wheat futures have risen 18 percent this month as attacks on merchant shipping shut down grain loading on both sides of the Black Sea.
Russian Flotilla Returns to the Mediterranean Bound for Tartus
A Russian naval group led by the destroyer Admiral Levchenko re-entered the Mediterranean on August 27, weeks after Moscow and Damascus agreed reduced terms at Tartus.
MSC Suspends Novorossiysk Bookings After Drone Strike on Boxship
MSC has suspended new bookings to and from Novorossiysk with immediate effect after one of its containerships was struck by a drone leaving the Russian port.
Arctic LNG 2 Fleet Grows to 18 Carriers as China Shipments Climb
Novatek and its partners now run a fleet of at least 18 gas carriers serving the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, with 31 shipments delivered to China this year.
Black Sea Attacks Drive Global Grain Shipments Down Eight Percent
Global grain shipments have fallen 8 percent year on year over five weeks, driven by a 26 percent collapse in Black Sea exports as attacks on ships and port infrastructure intensify.
Deadly Fire Clouds the Launch of Russia's $10bn Amur Polymer Complex
A fire at Russia's Amur Gas Chemical Complex has killed seven workers and left nine missing, casting doubt over the launch of a polymer export stream bound largely for Asian markets.
Russian Urals Crude Tops Brent in India for First Time Since May
Russian Urals crude for October delivery to India has been offered at a premium over Dated Brent for the first time since May, as drone attacks constrain loadings from Novorossiysk.
Syria and Myanmar Appear as False Flags on Russia-Linked Tankers
Russia-linked tankers claimed Syrian and Myanmar flags for the first time in the second quarter, as the IMO's list of falsely flagged vessels climbed to 580.
Saudi Arabia Was July's Top Buyer of Russian Seaborne Fuel Oil
Saudi Arabia took 1.1 million tonnes of Russian fuel oil and VGO in July, down 18% on June, as summer power demand kept the discounted barrels flowing east.
India Plans First Northern Sea Route Cargo Voyage to Europe in 2027
India would follow China's first scheduled NSR container service and a South Korean demonstration voyage, adding a third Asian user to the Russian Arctic route.
Russia Builds an LNG Shadow Fleet Ahead of the EU's 2027 Ban
Russia is assembling a shadow fleet of LNG carriers ahead of the EU's complete ban on Russian LNG imports from January 2027, buying up ageing tonnage the industry is already retiring.
Nine Ships Struck in 24 Hours as Black Sea Grain War Escalates
Ukraine is reported to have struck as many as five bulkers around Novorossiysk while Russia claimed strikes on at least four ships, with one vessel abandoned after a drone attack set it on fire.
Putin Threatens Mirror Response To EU Seizure Of Shadow Fleet Cargoes
President Vladimir Putin has promised retaliation against any European move to seize merchant ships carrying Russian cargo, describing the measures as piracy and banditry and saying Moscow would respond in kind.
Seventy-Year-Old Dredger Helps Clear Three Million Cubic Metres From Siberian Rivers
A self-propelled dredger built seven decades ago is still working the Ob and Irtysh rivers, part of a fleet of fifteen technical vessels that has removed 3.3 million cubic metres of material during the current season.
Syria And Russia Agree A Reduced Naval Presence At Tartous
Syrian authorities have reached an agreement providing for a reduced and limited Russian presence at the naval facility at Tartous, formalising a diminution of the arrangement that gave Russia its only warm-water naval base on the
Russia Deploys Floating Sentry Positions Against Drone Attacks
Russian forces have begun deploying floating fortified sentry positions in waters where Ukrainian uncrewed surface vessels have operated, in the latest of a series of improvised measures intended to protect infrastructure and shipping
Russia Covers Pacific Submarines With Anti-Drone Netting
Satellite imagery from early August shows Russian submarines covered with anti-drone netting at a Pacific base more than seven thousand kilometres from Ukraine.
Russian Shipping Adopts Cages And Convoys Against Drone Threat
Russian operators are fitting cages and sailing in convoys to protect ships against drone attack, changing how tonnage moves in the Black Sea.
Syria Takes Control Of Tartous Berth Previously Used By Russia
Syria has taken control of a 630-metre berth at Tartous that was previously used by Russia, under an agreement announced this month.
Russian Black Sea Crude Loadings Fall 62 Percent Under Drone Campaign
Crude loadings from Russian Black Sea and Sea of Azov ports have fallen to 0.98 million barrels a day from 2.59 million under a sustained Ukrainian maritime drone campaign, BIMCO says.
EU expands Russia shadow fleet blacklist to 673 vessels, grants Dynagas a reprieve
The European Union has blacklisted 41 more vessels linked to Russia's shadow fleet, taking the total to 673, while granting Greek owner Dynagas a temporary reprieve on LNG restrictions.
EU still absorbing bulk of Russian Arctic LNG despite phase-out push
Trade-flow data shows Europe took the overwhelming share of Russian Arctic liquefied natural gas in the first six months of the year, even as the bloc works towards ending those imports.
Chinese And Russian Warships Complete Circumnavigation Of Japan
A joint Chinese and Russian naval group has completed a circumnavigation of Japan and its outer islands, tracked throughout by Japanese destroyers and maritime patrol aircraft.
Sanctioned Russian Ship Delivered Armoured Vehicles To Mali Through Togo
A sanctioned Russian cargo ship delivered a consignment of armoured vehicles to Mali through the port of Lome in Togo, having switched off its transponder after clearing the English Channel.
Russia Floats Out Yasen-M Submarine Ulyanovsk At Severodvinsk
Russia's Sevmash shipyard floated out the nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine Ulyanovsk on 28 July 2026, completing hull construction and moving the boat into the final stages of fitting out and testing.
Satellite Images Reveal Novatek Terminal And Tank Farm Rising In Kola Bay
Satellite imagery shows at least fifteen gas reservoir tanks and a sea terminal rising at Belokamenka in the Kola Bay, which Novatek has confirmed form part of its heavily sanctioned Murmansk LNG project.
Tanker With Russian Naphtha Turns Back From Bab El-Mandeb And Sails Round Africa
A Panama-flagged tanker carrying Russian naphtha attempted to pass through the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the final week of July before changing course to sail around Africa instead, according to trade sources and ship-tracking data.
Sanctioned Russian cargo ships carry military equipment to West Africa
Sanctioned Russian cargo ships have been delivering military equipment to West Africa for onward movement to Mali, according to an investigation combining vessel tracking data, satellite imagery and state television footage.
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.
EU exempts Russian LNG transhipment, easing pressure on Total and Yamal
Brussels has reversed its ban on transhipping Russian LNG to third countries, allowing TotalEnergies to keep selling Yamal gas into Asia.
EU adds more than 40 shadow fleet vessels to sanctions list
The European Union has added more than 40 shadow fleet vessels to its sanctions list, several of them regular visitors to Arctic waters.
Drone war pushes Russia to weaponise commercial shipping
Ukraine says its naval drones have struck more than 200 Russian-linked vessels in just over three weeks, prompting Moscow to arm grain carriers.
Russia's container market climbs 7.1% in first half of 2026
Russia's container market grew 7.1% year on year in the first half of 2026, with June volumes reaching their highest monthly level in fifteen years.
Russian frigate stages live-fire drill off southern England
A Russian frigate carried out a live-fire gunnery exercise off England's south coast under Royal Navy escort, days after Britain's prime minister resigned.
Russia-Ukraine strikes squeeze Black Sea trade from both sides
Black Sea shipping is being squeezed as Russia attacks Ukrainian ports and Ukraine's drones disrupt Russian gateways.
Russia emerges as the dominant flag for the sanctioned shadow fleet
Russia has become the dominant flag for the sanctioned shadow fleet as new registries emerge under enforcement pressure.
Ukraine's Black Sea campaign forces Russia to tow burned-out Kerch ferries
Ukraine's strikes on the Kerch Strait ferry service have left Russia towing burned-out hulls across the strait as barges.
Sanctioned heavy-lift ships deliver modules to Russia's stalled Arctic LNG project
Two sanctioned heavy-lift vessels have delivered key modules to a stalled Russian Arctic LNG project, hinting at a restart.
Greece blocks new EU sanctions to shield a gas-shipping owner
Greece has blocked a new round of EU sanctions on Russian gas to protect a Greek-owned gas-shipping company.
Ukrainian drone strikes force a halt to shipping on the Sea of Azov
Russia has suspended shipping through the Sea of Azov after a wave of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russia-linked vessels over the course of a week.
EU parliament pushes to end Ireland's alumina exports to Russia
The European Parliament has passed a non-binding motion urging the Commission to sanction alumina sales to Russia, targeting exports from Ireland's Aughinish plant.
Ukraine's tanker and refinery strikes deepen Russia's fuel crisis
Ukraine has escalated its campaign against Russian shipping and oil infrastructure, striking dozens of shadow-fleet tankers and another major refinery.
France brings detained Deliver tanker to Marseille in flag probe
France has brought the detained tanker Deliver to an anchorage near Marseille for a prosecutor-led investigation into an alleged flag offence, part of a wider European crackdown on shadow-fleet tankers.
Machine guns spotted on Russian LNG carrier in the Baltic
An OCCRP investigation reports that Russia has fitted the Gazprom-owned LNG carrier Marshal Vasilevskiy with heavy machine guns in the Baltic, an apparent first for a merchant vessel on a commercial route.
France boards another Russian shadow fleet tanker off Sicily
France has intercepted the Russia-linked tanker Deliver off Sicily, stepping up Europe's campaign against the shadow fleet used to move sanctioned Russian oil.
Seized tanker tests the limits of shadow fleet enforcement
Russia has warned of legal action if the UK sells crude from the seized shadow-fleet tanker Smyrtos, in a case testing how far Europe will go to enforce sanctions at sea.
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