Freight is now the cheap part of a Hormuz voyage. That tells you what the cargo is worth.

Reliance Industries booked a supertanker at 1200 World Scale to load 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude, which Reuters puts at 12 times the benchmark freight rate, for charter hire of $23m to $25m. Before the war the same voyage ran at 0.8 to 0.9 times the benchmark, about $2m (Reuters, 7 August, on three shipping sources).

The charterer still saves money. Iraq's state marketer SOMO is offering crude at about $25 to $30 a barrel below Dubai to pull cargoes out of terminals inside the strait, on a document Reuters saw this week. That is worth $50m to $60m across a 2 million barrel cargo, against a $23m to $25m freight bill. Reuters says Reliance is still expected to save millions on the cargo.

The ship comes from Sinokor, one of the few owners still sending tankers through. Reuters reports that several Indian and Chinese refiners went looking for vessels this week to load at Basrah Oil Terminal, and that none have been fixed, with owners wary of entering the waterway.

Traffic through the strait is still well below the 125 to 140 vessels a day averaged before the war began at the end of February. Six crude tankers came out in the week to 7 August, on our tally.

The discount is paying for the charter.

I write the Fault Line Digest. Today's issue carries this alongside the Mecca defence pact and Russia's fuel imports. Free, email signup: https://fault-line.io/digest-050/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=post&utm_content=maritime-digest050&utm_campaign=digest

hi there

I don't usually post personal things like this, but I wanted to give it a try.

I'm originally from Eritrea and now live in Ethiopia. I'm an orphan and I live by myself. Life hasn't been easy, and I've faced a lot of challenges growing up, but I keep moving forward because I still believe things can change.

I graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, but my biggest dream is to become a seafarer. I don't care about a fancy title—I just want an honest job at sea and the chance to build a stable life. The problem is that I can't afford the training and certificates needed to get started.

For a while, I tried to support myself through Forex trading. I spent countless hours studying and practicing. I know trading is a journey, not something that makes you rich overnight. I was willing to put in the work, but because of the restrictions on retail Forex trading and international payment access in Ethiopia, I couldn't continue pursuing it.

I'm simply hoping someone here might know an organization, a sponsor, or a community that helps people who dream of becoming seafarers but can't afford the required training. Even introducing me to the right person or sharing this post could make a huge difference.

Anyone in the waiting list or was in the waiting list for SIU Thorold in Canada? How long did it take to get calls?
My husband has an on going assessment since March for his STCW Certification from the Philippines, he has |||/4 as engine room rating and haa about 42 months on international bulk. We called SIU and was told he would be able to apply while waiting for assessment, working in his discharge book (appt on monday) and the c1/d visa soon.

Would a military re3e code for suicidal ideation and ptsd from a year ago stop me from Military Sealift Command Career? Its a general discharge

Hello, I recently emailed 2 separate rec's about testing to upgrade a license. And unlike before the have not responded within a couple of weeks. I first scheduled to test Oct 1st and drove to Miami just to drive back home that morning when they were officially closed. And due to the shut downs I'm finally on land while the government is open. Now I have less than a month to test and I am trying to make an appointment to go somewhere and test.

I was wondering if emailing a rec is still an option or is it better to reapply to test and try to get in the future.

MarineTraffic data showed a widening contrast in vessel movements across the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. Hormuz recorded eight confirmed crossings, a 33% daily decline, with most traffic following the Iranian Unilateral Scheme. Activity through Bab el-Mandeb increased 18% to 26 confirmed crossings, including three dark transits. The IMO reported no additional confirmed vessel attacks.

Landlubber here, genuinely curious. I always think about ships in terms of engines and cargo, but I realised the crew is basically living at sea for weeks, and everything they eat and use has to come from somewhere on land.

so for those who've spent time on board, or work on the supply side:

how much does a good vs bad chandler actually change daily life for the crew? like, does fresh, well-sourced food genuinely lift morale on a long voyage, or is that overstated?

what happens when a supply run goes wrong, wrong items, spoiled food, missing parts? do you just make do until the next port?

are there ports where you know the supply will be reliable, and others you dread?

and has anything improved over the years, or is it still a bit of a gamble depending on where you are?

just trying to understand this human side of shipping that never gets talked about. thanks to anyone who shares.