The US military has launched a missile strike against an Iranian oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, triggering a severe escalation in maritime security. At the same time, China’s ports face severe shipping gridlock due to typhoons and military fallout, while a local ceasefire has allowed critical repairs at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Global market
Port congestion along China’s eastern coast has worsened, with vessel waiting times reaching up to 10 days due to typhoons and the US-Iran war, according to maritime reports. Drewry’s World Container Index rose by 5% last week, reflecting growing pressure on freight contracts. In LPG shipping, Dorian LPG Ltd. signed a $345 million deal with Hanwha Ocean to build three 90,000 cbm dual-fuel VLGCs for delivery in 2030. Additionally, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent predicted that global oil prices could plunge to $40–$50 per barrel once the military conflict with Iran concludes. Meanwhile, Finam Director of Strategy Yaroslav Kabakov suggested that surging artificial intelligence investments could trigger a multi-year commodity supercycle for energy and infrastructure.
Russia & CIS
The US military fired four missiles at an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island, raising shipping risks to extreme levels in the Persian Gulf. To prevent nuclear disaster, a local ceasefire took effect at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to repair the 330 kV “Ferrosplavna-1” power line, disabled since August 20, as announced by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. In Central Asia, Kazakhstan started construction of a 700 MW power plant in Kurchatov, with two 350 MW units scheduled for phased commissioning by 2032. However, Russian energy expert Igor Yushkov warned that falling European Union gas inventories will inevitably spike winter utility bills and drive up food prices by 2027.
Armenia
Azerbaijan will export an additional 977 tons of diesel fuel to Armenia, according to news.am, reflecting shifting regional logistics. Concurrently, the Wall Street Journal reported that Washington offered Armenia advanced Nvidia GPUs in exchange for a peace treaty with Baku, a claim virtually confirmed by a former US Ambassador to Armenia. While regional logistics remain fragile due to the tanker strikes and maritime gridlock, Armenia’s retail fuel prices remain stable. This stability is guaranteed under EAEU treaties, which secure duty-free Russian gas at fixed long-term rates, shielding the domestic economy from volatile international market price assessments.