Insurers and flag-states are urging extreme caution and heightened security measures for vessels sailing in the Straits of Hormuz following the attack on two tankers on Thursday.

SMIT Salvage has been awarded the contract to salvage both the Front Altair and the Kokuka Courageous that were attacked in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday.

The Bernhard Schulte chemical tanker Kokuka Courageous, attacked in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, is being towed towards Khor Fakkan, UAE, with its crew back on board.

Two tankers, Front Altair and Kokuka Courageous, have been abandoned in the Gulf of Oman followed suspected torpedo attacks.

The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) has raised the security level for vessels sailing in the Straits of Hormuz and advised ships to remain well clear of Iranian waters following an attack on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman this morning.

Weak container volumes in the first quarter have seen analyst Alphaliner cut its global container throughput growth forecast for 2019 to 2.5% from 3.6%.

US Energy policy, along with Donald Trump’s classic head-fakes, almost seems destined to confuse participants in the oil business, with obvious impacts on shipping which serves it.

Panama agreed to remove from its Ship Registry some 60 Iranian vessels to avoid being placed on a US Treasury blacklist.

As container lines withdraw services from Iran in the face of sanctions IRISL is looking to maintain links with a new Chinese-based shipping line Reach Shipping Lines.

A total of 17 seafarers were abandoned on Kish Island, Iran, some for more than a year, while given substandard food, limited access to fresh water, and subjected to conditions equivalent to slavery, says the charity Human Rights at Sea (HRAS).