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In light of the European Commission’s ongoing considerations to amend the ETS State Aid Guidelines, revising the rules for Indirec...

17 July 2026 2' min read 2' min read "The European proposal to revise the ETS is unsatisfactory for Italian industry, as demonstrated by today’s trend in the market price of allowances, which is rising. This is a sign that a far-reaching revision was expected, but one that has not materialised. The Commission’s proposal is limited to measures with only marginal effects in the short term and fails to address the structural weaknesses of the system within the global context.” This was stated by Confindustria’s president, Emanuele Orsini, in a statement. “The allocation of a very small proportion of free allowances – which are, moreover, conditional on investments in decarbonisation – and the absence of any measures to reduce the volatility of CO₂ prices and financial speculation alarm us, but they will not stop us. We will continue this fight in a constructive spirit and with even greater determination, alongside our European partners, for an ETS system that protects the climate without sacrificing industry, jobs, investment and European manufacturing sovereignty.” The reform of the ETS is “absolutely necessary and urgent” but “the proposals the Commission has put before us today are still insufficient and too timid”. This was stated by the Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, on the sidelines of an ECR Party event in Catania. “We will be holding intensive discussions over the coming days, first and foremost with the industrial sector, to understand how to improve those proposals so that they are truly effective in supporting businesses” and “with the other Member States with whom we have shared a proposal – one that is truly bold, responsible and structural – so that now that the reform process has finally begun, including for the ETS, we can achieve objectives that are genuinely capable of supporting our businesses in the challenge of decarbonisation. What has been put before us is, quite frankly, far too little.” The latest Radiocor videos Notizie e approfondimenti sugli avvenimenti politici, economici e finanziari.

Circa diecimila persone sono morte a causa delle ondate di calore degli ultimi mesi e, con la riforma del Sistema europeo di scambio di quote di emissione (Ets) presentata oggi, la Commissione europea propone di indebolire significativamente l'esatta soluzione di mercato per l'azione climatica e il futuro dell'industria europea. Lo afferma il gruppo dei Verdi/Ale al Parlamento europeo in una nota."Con questa proposta, le industrie inquinanti potranno emettere di più, per periodi più lunghi e a un prezzo inferiore.Tra le altre cose, la Commissione europea propone di aumentare il numero di quote di emissione gratuite di CO2, il che contrasta con l'incentivo di mercato agli investimenti nelle energie rinnovabili. In futuro, l'Ets si applicherà anche ai jet privati. Ciò significa che chiunque voli su un jet privato dovrà pagare per le proprie emissioni di CO2, proprio come, ad esempio, i passeggeri dei voli intraeuropei", continuano i Verdi.Michael Bloss, relatore ombra dei Verdi/ALE nella commissione Ambiente, commenta: "La Commissione concede alle industrie una licenza per inquinare ancora più a lungo e a un costo inferiore.Chiunque mini la protezione del clima durante questa estate torrida non ha colto i segni dei tempi", sottolinea. "I nostri figli ne pagheranno il prezzo, con compromessi sulla loro qualità di vita, salute e libertà. Indebolire il sistema di scambio di quote di emissioni danneggia le aziende che creano posti di lavoro e crescita attraverso una produzione rispettosa del clima. Chi ha investito nelle industrie e nei posti di lavoro del futuro ne pagherà le conseguenze. Che miliardi vengano investiti o meno è già deciso oggi nei consigli di amministrazione. La proposta frena gli investimenti e mette a rischio la concorrenza europea". "Almeno non ci sarà più un lasciapassare per i proprietari di jet privati. Non è accettabile che chi vola in Europa con un volo di linea paghi regolarmente una tassa sulle emissioni di CO2, mentre i jet privati ne sono esenti", conclude. Riproduzione riservata © Copyright ANSA Da non perdere Condividi

"La proposta europea di revisione dell'Ets è, per l'industria italiana, insoddisfacente", avverte il presidente di Confindustria, Emanuele Orsini. Lo dimostra anche, commenta, "l'andamento odierno del prezzo delle quote sul mercato, che sono in aumento. Segno che ci si attendeva una revisione profonda che invece non c'è stata". "La proposta della Commissione - dice il leader degli industriali - si limita a interventi con effetti solo marginali nel breve termine e non affronta le criticità strutturali del sistema nel contesto globale". Gli industriali chiedono a Parlamento e Consiglio europei "di intervenire con decisione per coniugare ambizione climatica e competitività industriale, sovranità tecnologica e investimenti, adattando il sistema Ets affinché non comprometta la base industriale europea". Riproduzione riservata © Copyright ANSA Da non perdere Condividi

BRUXELLES - "L'Europa ha due obiettivi: decarbonizzare e reindustrializzare. Per farlo, dobbiamo riformare il mercato europeo del carbonio e renderlo un vero motore di investimento per la nostra industria. Questo è il significato del testo presentato oggi dalla Commissione europea" sulla revisione dell'Ets. "Innanzitutto, accelera l'implementazione della Banca Europea per la Decarbonizzazione, al fine di mobilitare più rapidamente i 100 miliardi di euro previsti per sostenere gli investimenti industriali". Lo scrive su LinkedIn il vicepresidente della Commissione europea per la prosperità industriale,Stéphane Séjourné. "In secondo luogo, la proposta invita gli Stati membri a reinvestire il 50% dei loro ricaviEtsnei settori che finanziano l'Ets. Con un principio semplice: ciò che viene tolto all'industria deve tornare all'industria", aggiunge. Inoltre, "il testo migliora anche la considerazione delle realtà tecnologiche di ciascun settore, con riferimenti più adattati ai diversi processi industriali, oltre a una traiettoria di decarbonizzazione più realistica per l'industria europea". "Tutte le nostre politiche pubbliche sono ora allineate alle nostre ambizioni industriali. Continuiamo i nostri sforzi per un'energia più accessibile, approvvigionamenti pubblici che supportino ulteriormente i prodotti decarbonizzati, una maggiore protezione contro pratiche commerciali sleali e un meccanismo di adeguamento delle frontiere carbonio più efficace.Decarbonizzare e reindustrializzare: è così che l'Europa raggiungerà i suoi obiettivi climatici rafforzando la propria sovranità economica", conclude. Riproduzione riservata © Copyright ANSA Da non perdere Condividi

Redazione AnsaBRUXELLES - Luglio 17,2026 - News BRUXELLES - "Dal 2005, ilsistema di scambio delle quote di emissione (Ets)si è dimostrato uno strumento efficace per ridurre le emissioni di gas a effetto serra e finanziare la decarbonizzazione industriale in Europa. Le informazioni raccolte durante l'audizione della commissione Envi a giugno hanno sottolineato che l'Ets deve continuare a essere un pilastro fondamentale della politica climatica dell'Ue. Inoltre, con oltre 250 miliardi di euro generati dal 2013, e quasi 40 miliardi di euro nel solo 2024, i proventi dell'Ets rappresentano una leva finanziaria fondamentale per la nostra politica industriale.Abbiamo il dovere di garantire che ogni euro sia utilizzato in modo trasparente e strategico sia per promuovere la decarbonizzazione sia per rafforzare la competitività industriale europea, e a tal fine abbiamo bisogno di un chiaro impegno da parte degli Stati membri. La commissione Envi è pronta a lavorare alla revisione dell'Ets e a svolgere il proprio ruolo con spirito costruttivo e senso di responsabilità. I cittadini, gli investitori e le nostre industrie hanno bisogno di certezze e il Parlamento si adopererà per garantirle". Lo dichiaraPierfrancesco Maran, eurodeputato del Pd e presidente della commissione Ambiente del Parlamento europeo (Envi).

Taylor Maritime reduced its fleet to five ships from over 50 as rising deliveries, protectionism and weakening fundamentals undermined the case for retaining assets. July 17, 2026 Geared bulker specialist Taylor Maritime announced it has cut its fleet from over 50 vessels to just five as the company winds down operations. Between 2023 and the end of its first half on 31 March 2026,London-listed Taylor Maritime said it sold 51 vessels for proceeds of $839.2m, averaging a discount to fair market value of 3.2% for the disposals. In the year to 31 March, 23 vessel sales were completed for proceeds of $381.1m at a discount of 2.8%, it said. There were sixJapanese-built vessels, one joint venture vessel and a long-term chartered-in vessel still in the fleet at the end of the reporting period. Since then, one of the Japanese vessels has been sold along with the company’s 50% stake in the joint venture. The five remaining ships — four handysizes and an ultramax — are all on time charter. “The Group received offers for the sale of five of its remaining six vessels and its shares in the JV, of which one vessel sale and the JV sale completed post period end,” the company said in its earnings statement. Related:Norden ups profit forecast, chartered vessels exit Hormuz Reporting a $46.1m loss for the year, Taylor Maritime said a significant portion of its loss was due to $23.7m in impairment charges related to sales of vessels sold or held for sale. Once its announced compulsory partial redemptions are complete, the company it it will have returned $218.4m to shareholders, and will reach total distributions since its 2021 IPO of over $362m. The company has repaid all of its bank debt, with sale-leaseback liabilities of $41.5m its only outstanding debts, it said. “Against a backdrop of five years of exceptional geopolitical and economic disruption, including Covid-19, the sharpest interest rate cycle in a generation through the war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and a fundamental shift in global trade policy, the Board decided that crystallising value from a position of balance sheet strength is the most prudent course of action and in the best interests of all shareholders,” chairman Henry Strutt said in the company’s annual report. CEO Edward Buttery said there was a fundamental divergence in asset prices and underlying fundamentals in the market. “The vessel divestment programme, initially focused on debt reduction, expanded as second-hand asset values climbed to near historic highs dislocating from prevailing charter rates. With global fleet deliveries accelerating and set to deliver meaningful supply-side pressure, the risk-adjusted case for continuing to hold assets weakened. In light of expected market turbulence from increasingly protectionist trade policy, we accelerated our sales programme, prioritising the preservation of shareholder value and eliminating bank debt in July 2025.” Related:Cosco Shipping Development orders 24 newbuilds At the end of the reporting period, Taylor Maritime had delivered an annualised return of 5.9% since its IPO, said Buttery. Read more about: Gary Howard Middle East correspondent Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events. Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Ports of Refuge: Strengthening Maritime Resilience, at Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East 2025 Debunking LEO and Cloud for Maritime Industry, December 2022 (watch on-demand recording) Making Data Work for Shipping at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is the Zero-Carbon Future a Slow Shipping Future?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is Ship Finance Transforming Faster than Shipping?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021

17 July 2026 1' min read 1' min read (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) -The European Commission is proposing to make the reduction in free emission allowances more gradual after 2030, in an effort to support the competitiveness of industry without altering the EU’s climate targets. The review of the European emissions trading scheme provides for a linear reduction factor of 3.7 per cent between 2031 and 2035 and 1.7 per cent between 2036 and 2040, as well as the option to use up to 2 per cent of high-quality international credits in the final phase of the process. Brussels also proposes to continue free allocation of allowances beyond 2030, subject, however, to investments in decarbonisation carried out in Europe, and to slow down the phase-out of free allowances for sectors covered by the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism by extending it until 2038. The European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra, has rejected accusations that climate policy is being watered down. “Our climate ambition will increase over the next decade, not decrease,” he said, emphasising that the new trajectory is “fully consistent” with the EU’s target of reducing emissions by 90 per cent by 2040. According to Hoekstra, the difference compared with the current system is that “we are allowing for greater flexibility, but the money will have to be invested in Europe”, transforming the ETS into a driver of investment for industrial decarbonisation. Cop The latest Radiocor videos Notizie e approfondimenti sugli avvenimenti politici, economici e finanziari.

17 July 2026 1' min read 1' min read (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) -The European Commission has presented the long-awaited reform of the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The proposal aims to strike a balance between the demands made by certain industrial sectors and the desire to preserve the framework of the scheme, which was introduced twenty years ago as a cornerstone of the EU’s climate policy. Among the key changes is the requirement to allocate the revenue generated by the ETS to funding the decarbonisation of the economy. ““We want the ETS to become a tool capable of supporting investment, in line with the EU’s objectives on climate, competitiveness and energy independence,” explained the European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra, at a meeting with a group of European newspapers, including *Il Sole 24 Ore*. Cop The latest Radiocor videos Notizie e approfondimenti sugli avvenimenti politici, economici e finanziari.

Redazione AnsaBRUXELLES - Luglio 17,2026 - News (ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 17 LUG - "La priorità dell'Europa dovrebbe essere quella di ridurre il costo dell'Ets e il costo dei carburanti sostenibili per l'aviazione (Saf), reinvestendo ogni centesimo raccolto tramite l'Ets nella riduzione delle emissioni del settore. L'Ue deve destinare i fondi dell'Ets versati dai passeggeri alle proprie politiche climatiche e di competitività; la riforma odierna non garantisce pienamente questo obiettivo".Lo ha dichiarato Ourania Georgoutsakou, amministratore delegato di Airlines for Europe (A4E), la principale associazione di compagnie aeree europee, secondo cui la riforma dell'Ets "comporta un aumento dei costi per i passeggeri europei senza garantire il reinvestimento nella decarbonizzazione del settore aereo". I membri di A4E, si legge in un comunicato dell'organizzazione, "sono impegnati nella decarbonizzazione. Per realizzare questa ambizione sono necessarie politiche che aiutino a gestire i costi e garantiscano che gli europei possano continuare a beneficiare degli stessi livelli di connettività e accessibilità dei viaggi aerei". (ANSA).

The latest news and commentary on how the US/Israel-Iran conflict is affecting the global maritime industry and shipping markets. A tanker strike and dwindling Gulf traffic come as Iran could revive Houthi attacks, threatening simultaneous disruption at two maritime chokepoints. July 17, 2026 Structural damage was caused to a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz late on 16 July when it was struck by an unknown projectile. According to a UKMTO warning, the ship suffered minor structural damage in the attack, the crew are all safe and accounted for and the ship is continuing to its next port of call. Ambrey risk said the ship was not transmitting its AIS at the time of the attack, and was hit on its port side. The attack signals the continued danger Iran poses to ships choosing to transit the Strait of Hormuz by theUS-administered southern route near the coast ofOman, a pressure that has led ships to avoid using the route. Intelligence firm Kpler said overall transits of the Strait of Hormuz hit a three-week low on 16 July with just eight recorded transits, seven of which were via the northern route close to Iran’s coast. In its latest operational update on 16 July, JMIC counted 10 Iranian attacks on shipping since 25 June, not including the latest, and maintained a severe threat level for the Strait of Hormuz, meaning an attack is highly likely. “Recent confirmed incidents reinforce that the threat environment remains heightened and warrants extreme vigilance. IRGC attacks, hailing, and routing pressure continue, particularly for AIS-active vessels,” said JMIC. Related:Trump says ceasefire is “over” as Iran readies for Hormuz closure Assessing the shipping response, Kpler said: “While regional mediation efforts remain under way, commercial shipping patterns suggest military developments are now shaping operational decisions more than diplomatic progress.” The US continues to apply its own pressure in the region under its embargo of Iranian ports. On 16 July, US Central Command reported that its forces conducted a “verification boarding” in the Gulf. Videos and Images were shared of fully armed US Marines taking off in a helicopter from a naval vessel, fast roping onto the deck ofVLCCWen Yaoand proceeding towards the bridge. Central Command reported that three commercial vessels have been redirected since the blockade was put back in place, and one vessel,Belma, was disabled for non-compliance.Belma was hit with hellfire missiles on 15 Julyfor allegedly attempting to run the blockade after ignoring multiple warnings. Despite the huge risk to seafarers, ships, and cargoes, the US maintains that the Strait of Hormuz is free and open, except to vessels calling Iran. Shipping industry bodies, including theIMO, have called on shipowners and operators, flag states, and administrations to avoid transiting the Strait of Hormuz and exposing seafarers to danger. Related:JMIC raises Strait of Hormuz threat level to severe The UN body’s current list of confirmed incidents, not including this latest, counts 47 confirmed incidents involving 18 seafarers fatalities. As Iran demonstrates its ability to choke shipping volumes passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported that Iran is also preparing to exert its influence in the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait once again. According to Reuters, if the US follows through on president Trump’s threat to hit Iran’s power networks, Iran will use its Houthi proxies in Yemen to recommence attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. Houthi attacks began in late 2023, including vessel seizures and sinkings among the 127 incidents, and have fundamentally reshaped global shipping routes since, slashing transits through the Suez Canal and diverting ships on the much longer Cape of Good Hope route. Logistics routes across the Middle East have been reshaped by disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, diverting cargoes over land bridges and pipelines to new import and export terminals. Closure of Bab-el-Mandeb would multiply current logistical difficulties by further limiting sea routes around the region. Read more about: Gary Howard Middle East correspondent Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events. Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Ports of Refuge: Strengthening Maritime Resilience, at Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East 2025 Debunking LEO and Cloud for Maritime Industry, December 2022 (watch on-demand recording) Making Data Work for Shipping at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is the Zero-Carbon Future a Slow Shipping Future?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is Ship Finance Transforming Faster than Shipping?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021

Ascolta la versione audio dell'articolo 1' di lettura English Version Translated by AI. For feedback, please contact english@ilsole24ore.com (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - La Commissione europea propone di rendere più graduale la riduzione delle quote di emissione gratuite dopo il 2030, nel tentativo di sostenere la competitività dell’industria senza modificare gli obiettivi climatici dell’Unione. La revisione del mercato europeo delle emissioni prevede un fattore di riduzione lineare del 3,7% tra il 2031 e il 2035 e dell’1,7% tra il 2036 e il 2040, oltre alla possibilità di utilizzare fino al 2% di crediti internazionali di elevata qualità nell’ultima fase del percorso. Chiedilo al Sole Le domande sono suggerite automaticamente da 24Ore AI sulla base del contenuto visualizzato. Domande di approfondimento generate da 24Ore AI Bruxelles propone inoltre di mantenere le assegnazioni gratuite di quote anche oltre il 2030, subordinandole però a investimenti nella decarbonizzazione realizzati in Europa, e di rallentare il phase-out delle quote gratuite per i settori coperti dal meccanismo di adeguamento del carbonio alle frontiere prorogandolo fino al 2038. Loading... Il commissario europeo per il Clima, Wopke Hoekstra, ha respinto le accuse di un indebolimento della politica climatica. «La nostra ambizione climatica aumenterà nel prossimo decennio, non diminuirà», ha affermato, sottolineando che la nuova traiettoria è «pienamente coerente» con l’obiettivo europeo di ridurre del 90% le emissioni entro il 2040. Secondo Hoekstra, la differenza rispetto al sistema attuale è che «consentiamo una maggiore flessibilità, ma il denaro dovrà essere investito in Europa», trasformando l’Ets in un motore di investimenti per la decarbonizzazione industriale. Cop Gli ultimi video Radiocor

inOil & Companies News17/07/2026 A coalition of 10 EU countries has presented a joint statement to the European Commission outlining demands for a slower reduction in carbon allowances, extended free allocations, and a reconsideration of ETS2, the EU’s new carbon market for road transport, buildings and small businesses, Poland’s deputy climate and environment minister Krzysztof Bolesta said July 15. The statement was signed by Poland, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Slovakia. If adopted, the proposals would fundamentally reshape the trajectory of Europe’s flagship climate policy. The intervention comes as the commission prepares to unveil its comprehensive emission trading system review on July 17, a package expected to recalibrate the market stability reserve, extend free allocations with investment conditions, and inject 400 million allowances into the market through an investment booster running from 2028-2031. The coalition’s central demand is to flatten the pace at which the EU allowance cap shrinks. The joint statement argues the current system, which requires energy and industry sectors to reach near-zero emissions by 2039, “will push industries out of Europe.” Poland wants the annual linear reduction factor to fall to just over 2% from the current 4.4%, ensuring allowances aren’t exhausted until closer to 2050. “We’re saying that industry won’t sustain this pace of transformation and that we need more time, that sectors burdened by the ETS must have more freedom to transform,” Bolesta said. “Such a rate will also allow the system to better adapt to our realities … If the rate of ETS shrinkage is slower than CO2 reductions in Poland, our industry will be able to have a breather.” He argued that Poland’s emissions fell about 3% last year, suggesting a slower cap reduction would give industry breathing room. Political pressureThe joint statement calls for making the carbon price “predictable and immune to speculation,” as well as “affordable to maintain EU competitiveness globally.”The Polish-led intervention highlights divisions within Europe over how to balance climate ambition with industrial competitiveness as the bloc pursues a 90% reduction in emissions by 2040.Coralie Laurencin, director of European gas, power, and carbon policy at S&P Global Energy CERA, said the review reflects a fundamental shift in how Europe’s carbon market is evaluated. “The review reflects a new reality: Europe’s carbon market is no longer judged solely on emissions reductions, but also on how it impacts industry,” Laurencin said. “Europe is divided on how far to go, yet it is difficult to see a scenario in which the EU does not continue to have one of the world’s highest carbon prices.” The review has drawn intense scrutiny, and EU allowances have been volatile so far in 2026, having declined nearly Eur30/metric ton of CO2 equivalent in March to highs of near Eur93/mtCO2e in January, according to data from Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. Platts assessed EUAs for December 2026 at Eur81.41/mtCO2e on July 14. Benchmark revisionThe joint statement also calls for a fast-track revision to address fallback benchmarks for the 2026 allocation period, while a broader review should “comprehensively review the product benchmark methodology to better reflect technological and industrial realities.” Free allocations are based on benchmarks derived from the average emissions of the 10% most efficient installations for each product category. Higher fuel benchmarks would allow industrial sectors to receive more free emission permits retroactively for 2026 and beyond. Other demands include extending the Modernization Fund beyond 2030 with guaranteed pools for less affluent countries. “We want to extend the fund and increase its pool, and when it comes to the Investment Booster, it is an instrument that will allow for co-financing of industrial decarbonization,” Bolesta said. “We are working to ensure there is a guaranteed pool for less affluent countries, so that their projects do not compete for funding with projects from Sweden or Denmark, for example.” ETS2 reconsiderationThe coalition’s demands include reconsidering ETS2, which would essentially extend carbon pricing to road transport, buildings and small businesses not covered by the existing ETS, directly impacting households through higher fuel and heating costs. “European citizens should not be facing new climate taxes in current economic and geopolitical circumstances,” the statement said. Bolesta said Poland’s preference would be to make participation voluntary for member states. “This is one of our most important demands in this reform,” he said. “Ideally, we would prefer there not to be an ETS2, but if there is, it should be voluntary.” The launch of the EU ETS2 was delayed from 2027 to 2028 to provide additional time for affected sectors and member states. The postponement also occurred amid lingering concerns that ETS2 could lead to substantial increases in energy prices, highlighting the complex interplay between ambitious climate objectives and economic realities. The EU ETS2 targets a 42% reduction in emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, and the supply of allowances is expected to tighten in the year or two after launch.Source:Platts

Ship headed to Kharg Island struck with hellfire missiles within 24 hours of blockade being stood back up, as Iran calls US interference in Strait of Hormuz a red line. July 16, 2026 USmilitary forces struck a commercial vessel headed to the Arabian Gulf on 15 July, just hours after the naval blockade against Iran was brought back into force. US Central Command said that unladen Curacao-flaggedBelmawas observed transiting international water towards Kharg Island and ignored multiple warnings as it attempted to breach the blockade. The ship is no stranger to the region; Tankertrackers.com saidBelmahas shipped around 38m barrels of Iranian crude oil in its history, according to tracking data. “A US aircraft disabled the vessel after firing hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack. The ship is no longer transiting to Iran,” said US Central Command. Since the blockade entered into force at 1600 hrs ET on 14 July, US forces redirected two ships and disabled one non-compliant vessel. During its previous blockade of Iran, which was suspended after the signing of the US-Iran peace MoU, Central Command said it disabled five commercial vessels and redirected 116. The US attacks included an aircraft strike onSettebelloon 9 June, which killed three Indian seafarers onboard. Related:Ukraine’s ship drone strike tally reaches 136 in 10 days After rising cautiously after the signing of the US-Iran MoU, traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has dropped once again as risk in the region escalated sharply when Iran began launching attacks on merchant ships using the US-administered southern route through the waterway around a week ago. The incidents contributed to a worsening in the broader security of the region, leading Iran and the US to exchange attacks on military targets. Vessel tracking companies reported another decline in transits on 15 July, with traffic heavily weighted towards the northern route near Iran’s coast, where ships are moving with their AIS switched on. Iran’s military leaders have said they will not allow the US to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz, calling the matter an “unbreakable red line.” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, said on 15 July that Iran has no plans to negotiate with the US, and that it was focussed on defence, according to Iranian media. In its latest advisory note, JMIC said the US blockade of Iran further escalated regional risk, which it judges as severe, meaning an attack on shipping is highly likely. “Blockade-related enforcement has begun, but is assessed as concentrated near Iranian ports and coastal waters. Unauthorized entry or departure from Iranian ports may result in interception, boarding, capture, or force. Neutral transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains permitted, but vessels should expect visit-and-search checks, heavy US naval presence, persistent IRGC monitoring, and increased VHF hails. A 30 nm standoff from US units is recommended to reduce misidentification risk,” said JMIC. Related:Trump pulls U-turn on 20% Hormuz tariff Read more about: Gary Howard Middle East correspondent Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events. Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Ports of Refuge: Strengthening Maritime Resilience, at Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East 2025 Debunking LEO and Cloud for Maritime Industry, December 2022 (watch on-demand recording) Making Data Work for Shipping at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is the Zero-Carbon Future a Slow Shipping Future?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is Ship Finance Transforming Faster than Shipping?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021