PACIFIC TRACKER

Two vessels loaded with liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Ras Laffan, Qatar, turned back after they moved eastward towards the Strait of Hormuz, ship-tracking data showed on Monday.Had the vessels successfully crossed the strait, it would have been the first transit of LNG cargoes through the waterway since the U.S.-Israel war with Iran began on February 28.Data from analytics firms Kpler and LSEG showed the vessels, Al Daayen and Rasheeda, loaded their cargoes in late February. The data also indicated that the Al Daayen tanker was signalling for China at the moment.Additionally, Kpler data showed both tankers as controlled by QatarEnergy.

A cargo ship carrying wheat sank in the Sea of Azov after coming under attack from Ukrainian drones, a Russia-installed official said on Sunday, leaving one person dead and two missing.Vladimir Saldo, Moscow-installed leader of the Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine's Kherson region, said the attack occurred on Friday but crew members were unable to make known what had happened to them until Sunday."It became known that the reason for the sinking of the Volgo-Balt in the Sea of Azov was a terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime," Saldo wrote on Telegram.He said the crew abandoned ship and was only able to reach shore on Sunday near the village of Strilkove in Kherson region.

The future of shipbuilding and maritime competitiveness — will be featured at the Maritime Risk Symposium 2026, hosted by the Institute for Homeland Security, Sam Houston State University. On June 2–3 at LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy and Technology in Pasadena, Texas, leaders from industry and academia will examine the strategy, workforce, investment, and partnerships needed to advance America’s maritime comeback.A new era in American shipbuilding is emerging — and the U.S. Gulf Coast stands at its center.

Russia's largest producer of liquefied natural gas Novatek has set up a company to build its own vessels and floating facilities, according to the state's registry of authorised companies, amid a shortage of gas tankers due to sanctions.Ilya Lushchikov, who is also head of Novatek's Murmansk LNG project, is in charge of the new company, called Severny Inzhiniring, or Northern Engineering, which was set up on March 25, according to the registry.Novatek did not reply to a request for comment.Western sanctions imposed in 2022 significantly limited the availability for Russia of ice-class tankers to transport LNG cargos.

Oil prices retreated in choppy trade on Monday, as investors awaited clarity on the status of indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran, wary about sustained supply losses due to shipping disruptions.Brent crude futures were down 0.22% to $108.79 a barrel at 11:49 a.m. CDT (1649 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were trading down 0.08% to $111.45 per barrel.The price moves on Monday were dwarfed by an 11% surge for WTI and an 8% rise for Brent during the previous trading session on Thursday, the biggest absolute price increase since 2020. The U.S.