Middle East News

A 35% increase in middle distillates saw refined oil product stockpiles at the Middle Eastern hub jump to an eight-week-high of 21.253 million barrels, according to data released by the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone.

In an updated advisory, the US Maritime Administration says that vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz or Gulf of Oman could encounter GPS interference, bridge-to-bridge communications spoofing and other communications jamming ’with little or no warning’.

Notus Heavy Lift Solutions has been awarded a three-year contract to deliver lifting, transportation and logistics assurance for the Duqm refinery project in Oman. 

‘Our daily contact and support to the crew members’ families continues. We want to emphasise the difficult circumstances they are enduring as a result of this ongoing situation,’ says Stena Bulk President and CEO Erik Hanell.

The Salalah Free Zone has signed a concession agreement worth $2.5 billion for the construction of the Salalah refinery project, which will have a production capacity of 150,000 barrels per day.

The Royal Navy will shadow British-flagged ships, either individually or in groups, should sufficient notice be given of their passage, says the UK government.

Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) has awarded a contract to Honeywell for the reconfiguration and expansion of its new Al-Zour refinery.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced that the UK government is seeking to put together a ‘European-led maritime protection mission’ for the Gulf.

The International Energy Agency says its emergency stocks are large enough to cover any disruptions in oil supply from the Strait of Hormuz for an extended period.

Stena Bulk has asked the Iranian authorities for permission to visit the crew members of the Stena Impero, which was seized by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday (19 July).