Page 15 - MEOG Week 11 2021

MEOG NEWS IN BRIEF MEOG

tightened sanctions. Tehran says those must Monday that Israel was probably to blame In October, FIOGC sold the oil to an
end before a new round of talks can begin. for a “sabotage operation” that damaged an unidentified Chinese buyer. Under the
Tensions in the Middle East have also Iranian ship in the Mediterranean Sea last agreement, FIOGC was responsible for
mounted recently due to a spate of attacks week. delivering the crude and chartered the
on ships and energy facilities. Saudi Arabia’s FIOGC said that in June it bought the supertanker Achilleas for the journey to
Ras Tanura oil-export terminal -- the world’s crude from an undisclosed Iraqi supplier, China.
largest -- was attacked by drones and missiles which presented bills of lading from Iraq’s The US government moved to seize the
earlier this month. Yemen’s Houthi rebels, state oil marketer SOMO as proof of origin. cargo late last year after the Achilleas’ Greek
who are supported by Iran, claimed the FIOGC then stored the oil on a ship at the owner, Capital Ship Management Corp.,
assault. port of Fujairah, an energy-trading hub on the alerted authorities to the possibility it had
Several tankers were targeted with mines in UAE’s Gulf of Oman coast. unknowingly taken on Iranian crude, after
the Red Sea last year, while an Israeli-owned Calls placed to SOMO on Sunday weren’t believing it came from Iraq.
cargo vessel was struck by an explosion in the answered, while FIOGC didn’t immediately BLOOMBERG
Persian Gulf in late February. Tehran said on respond to a request for comment.

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