Podcasts about us gulf

IDF strikes south Lebanon. Erdogan says IDF actions threaten Turkey. Iran says US Gulf attacks "undermine diplomacy"See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gulf is entering a period of profound geopolitical and economic uncertainty. As tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue and global energy markets face mounting pressure, the United Arab Emirates has taken the extraordinary decision to leave OPEC, raising major questions about the future of energy coordination, regional alliances, and global economic stability.Today on The International Risk Podcast, we are joined by Dr Dania Thafer, one of the leading analysts of Gulf politics, energy security, and regional geopolitics. Dr Thafer is the Executive Director of the Gulf International Forum and an expert on Gulf security, political economy, and US Gulf relations.In this episode, we explore why the UAE chose to leave OPEC, how the conflict with Iran is reshaping Gulf strategy, the growing vulnerability of global chokepoints, the future of fossil fuel markets in an era of technological transformation, and what rising instability in the Gulf could mean for international trade, energy security, and the global economy.The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you're a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe's leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe's leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Tell us what you liked!

James discusses the struggle for the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump's visit to China, US-Gulf relations, and the return of sectarianism on Radio Islam.

-Iran secures more war gains as US-Gulf alliance fractures -Sign of the end times: Polymarket lets you bet on Hantavirus pandemic -Air Force hid jet fuel leak that contaminated water and soil -Working Class History: UK General Strike!

Since the war in Iran began, fertilizer prices have been climbing steadily. US Gulf urea prices alone are up around 40% since the start of the conflict and nearly 80% year‑to‑date, putting intense pressure on farm economics. In several regions, farmer margins are now razor‑thin – or outright negative – raising the risk of reduced fertilizer use and significant cuts in planted wheat area ahead of the upcoming Southern Hemisphere wheat planting season. Join Carlos Mera and Sam Taylor as they discuss how the conflict in the Middle East and the effective double blockade of the Strait of Hormuz are reshaping fertilizer markets and key crops – and what that could mean for global agricultural production and food prices.     Disclaimer: Please refer to our global RaboResearch disclaimer at https://www.rabobank.com/knowledge/disclaimer/011417272/disclaimer for information about the scope and limitations of the material published on the podcast.   

John's LI profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-cordner-538059219/ Jeff's LI profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-kralowetz-7823299/  In this Crude Report episode, Argus VP of Business Development Jeff Kralowetz talks with waterborne crude reporter, John Cordner, about how demand for Canadian "dilbit" crude has soared in Asia and at the US Gulf coast in the wake of shipping disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz. They also look at the emergence of Western Canadian Select (WCS) at Houston as a strong regional reference price and benchmark   Key Topics covered: How pooling of WCS and Cold Lake trades at Houston has created an exceptionally liquid and transparent price index How Asian demand for distillate-rich crude is likely to increase the region's buying of Canadian dilbit, both from Vancouver and Houston How strong crack spreads at the US Gulf coast have strengthened WCS Houston vs the light benchmark WTI Houston Who is continuing to buy Canadian dilbit at the US Gulf coast They also share details on the upcoming Argus Canada Biofuels and Crude Forums on April 22 at the Calgary Petroleum Club where attendees will have a chance to meet Argus crude, freight, and consulting teams for live market discussion and networking.   Register here: https://view.argusmedia.com/canada-forum-2026

Pakistan has offered to mediate & resolve the war in Iran. While US President has shared Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's post on his country's offer to host talks, there has been no official word from Iran. #CutTheClutter with ThePrint Editor-In-Chief Shekhar Gupta looks at the complexities & hypocrisies as Pakistan tries to play mediator in the Gulf war, & why India should keep away. This episode also details what Pakistan stands to gain from these negotiations. Episode 1816 ----more----Read Financial Times' story here: https://www.ft.com/content/dc7ba7ef-9e45-48ee-8ba6-88dfab66b2c1?syn-25a6b1a6=1

The US-Israel war on Iran is straining Trump's alliances, at home and abroad. Three weeks into exactly the kind of war of choice that he spent years decrying, US President Donald Trump is not getting the amount of international support that he seeks for his campaign of air strikes on Iran. There is also reluctance among NATO and other allies to be drawn into the political and economic turmoil caused by the US-Israeli campaign, and Tehran's region-wide retaliation. Our experts discuss the state of US-Gulf relations, the muted European response to Trump's appeals for help in re-opening the Strait of Hormuz, and what it could mean elsewhere in the world for ongoing crises in Ukraine, Cuba and Venezuela. Joining host Bronwen Maddox this week are Dr Neil Quilliam, an associate fellow in our Middle East and North Africa Programme; Dr Christopher Sabatini, senior research fellow for Latin America; and Heather Hurlburt, a consulting fellow in our US and North America Programme. Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth. Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you find your podcasts. Chatham House's latest: The World Today magazine | Spring issue out now Expert comment | Should the Gulf Arab states join the war against Iran? Expert comment | The Iran war should boost security cooperation by US Pacific allies like Japan, the Philippines and South Korea   

Today's Headlines: The Middle East conflict has rapidly expanded to 12 countries in under 72 hours, with six U.S. troops killed after an Iranian strike hit an operations center in Kuwait. President Donald Trump signaled the fighting is far from over, saying Operation “EPIC FURY” could last four to five weeks and will continue “as long as necessary.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come,” while Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine cautioned the operation will be “difficult and gritty” and likely involve additional U.S. losses. The State Department is urging Americans to evacuate more than a dozen countries, and U.S. cities are on heightened alert, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. In a twist, the Pentagon reportedly used Anthropic's Claude AI model in the Iran strikes — despite the administration recently clashing with the company and canceling contracts. Abroad, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Ukrainian drone experts will assist Gulf nations in intercepting Iranian drones, as Russia ramps up missile attacks on Ukraine. In Epstein news, federal prosecutors under Trump in 2019 reportedly took over New Mexico's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch. The state's attorney general has now reopened the probe, and the House Oversight Committee released video testimony from Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is also expected to drop appeals defending Trump-era executive orders that targeted major law firms. And finally, Rep. Nancy Mace is under House Ethics Committee investigation over nearly $9,500 in alleged excess reimbursements. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Live updates: US Gulf allies fend off attacks as Trump warns Iran of ‘big wave' of strikes The Guardian: Ukraine war briefing: Starmer says Ukrainian experts will help shoot down Iranian drone attacks in Gulf Axios: US cities step up security amid Iran tensions WSJ: U.S. Strikes in Middle East Use Anthropic, Hours After Trump Ban NYT: Epstein's New Mexico Ranch Gets Scrutiny at Last. It May Be Too Late. YouTube: The Deposition of President Bill Clinton on the Epstein Probe WSJ: Trump Administration Drops Defense of Law Firm Sanctions Axios: Nancy Mace under House Ethics Committee investigation Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: ⁠⁠⁠betchesnews.substack.com Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we wait for the next long‑form episode of Fast Forward, we introduce a shorter‑form market update that will be published across the year. Delivering timely, bitesize insights and stories from across the commodities landscape, these episodes are designed to help listeners keep pace with developments that have caught the attention of our editorial team. In this episode, Fastmarkets editorial and pricing director Andrew Wells introduces the new format, which expands coverage beyond metals to include forest products, agriculture and carbon, offering timely headlines, price movements and key market developments in the time it takes to grab a morning coffee. The first update comes from Solomon Cefai, senior price reporter covering technology and energy metals, who outlines a busy start to February for US critical minerals policy. US government initiatives have emerged as a positive for domestic producers, led by the announcement of Project Vault, a $12 billion critical mineral stockpile. Initially targeting cobalt, lithium, rare earth elements, gallium and germanium, the program is expected to expand to other strategic minerals including copper, graphite and silicon. While the long‑term goal is to protect automotive and technology supply chains, the stockpile is also expected to support new production at a time of limited downstream demand and heavy midstream concentration in China. Solomon notes that the policy has been broadly welcomed, but highlights concerns around market distortion, supply tightness and the risk of squeezing existing consumers outside the US, particularly in Europe and Asia. The civilian stockpile differs from existing USDLA stockpiles and will rely on large trading houses to source material for strategic manufacturers, despite already tight supply due to previous Chinese export controls. Solomon also touches on proposed international critical mineral reference prices within a preferential trade zone, intended to de‑risk new supply chains, though details remain unclear, and growing political scrutiny, as senior US Democrats probe government investment and its implications for transparency and competition. Eduardo Tinti, senior price reporter, then joins us with an update from the agriculture sector with developments in the soybean and biofuel markets. A social media post from US president Donald Trump suggested China could increase purchases of US soybeans sparked a rally in Chicago futures, while Brazilian cash premiums softened and Chinese crush margins came under pressure. Eduardo also highlights renewed Chinese buying from the US Gulf and expectations that China may auction imported soybeans to make room for incoming cargoes. In biofuels, Eduardo explains that new EPA guidance proved bullish for US feedstocks, particularly soy oil, corn ethanol and animal fats, while excluding most imports from outside North America. Additional support came from trade developments with India, which may reduce or eliminate import taxes on a quota of US soy oil. The episode concludes with a look ahead to upcoming long‑form interviews as part of our Fast Forward franchise. For more information: https://www.fastmarkets.com/podcast/ This episode was recorded in the second week of February 2026.

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In this episode of Energy Newsbeat Daily Standup, Stuart Turley covers escalating global energy tensions as the EU's climate directives trigger backlash from major LNG suppliers like the U.S. and Qatar, warning of trade disruptions. He discusses possible sabotage at refineries in Hungary and Romania, critiques the costly ERCOT grid expansion in Texas, slams Gavin Newsom's wildfire fund access law as corruption, and highlights how sanctions on Russian oil are backfiring. Turley also praises U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright for refilling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and previews rising LNG trading volumes via aBAX Technologies. A jam-packed episode linking policy, energy, and geopolitics. Subscribe to Our Substack For Daily Insights Want to Add Oil & Gas To Your Portfolio? Fill Out Our Oil & Gas Portfolio Survey Need Power For Your Data Center, Hospital, or Business? Follow Stuart On LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuturley/ andTwitter: https://twitter.com/STUARTTURLEY16 Follow Michael On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelta... andTwitter: https://twitter.com/mtanner_1 Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro00:16 - EU's Climate Rules Have Caused a Response from the US and Qatar, Issuing Trade Threats02:23 - U.S. Energy Secretary and Qatari Energy Minister Send Letter to EU Regarding Proposed Corporate Climate Regulations04:17 - Recent Attacks on Energy Infrastructure in Hungary and Romania – Who did it is a huge question06:35 - The Permian Basin Reliability Plan will cost every customer in the ERCOT region.10:22 - Gavin Newsom Signs Bill Allowing California Utility Companies to Draw Funding from State Wildfire Fund12:40 - Russian Oil Keeps Flowing: “Sanctions Don't Work as Intended”- Irina Slav17:19 - The US Needs to Restock the Strategic Oil Reserve – This would save money and jobs in the long run.19:09 - Abaxx Confirms Growing Trading Activity in its North Pacific-Asia and US Gulf of Mexico LNG Futures20:47 - Outro Links to articles discussed: EU's Climate Rules Have Caused a Response from the US and Qatar, Issuing Trade ThreatsU.S. Energy Secretary and Qatari Energy Minister Send Letter to EU Regarding Proposed Corporate Climate RegulationsRecent Attacks on Energy Infrastructure in Hungary and Romania – Who did it is a huge questionThe Permian Basin Reliability Plan will cost every customer in the ERCOT region.Gavin Newsom Signs Bill Allowing California Utility Companies to Draw Funding from State Wildfire FundRussian Oil Keeps Flowing: “Sanctions Don't Work as Intended”- Irina SlavThe US Needs to Restock the Strategic Oil Reserve – This would save money and jobs in the long run.Abaxx Confirms Growing Trading Activity in its North Pacific-Asia and US Gulf of Mexico LNG Futures

Listen to the SF Daily podcast for today, August 5, b2025, with host Lorrie Boyer. These quick and informative episodes cover the commodity markets, weather, and the big things happening in agriculture each morning. Wheat traders await fundamental news, with no trade talks between the US and China. Corn conditions are 73% good to excellent, soybeans 69%, and winter wheat harvested at 86%. South American soybean trades to China increased by 30 cents a bushel, while US Gulf prices declined. Corn inspections fell to 1.21 million metric tons, soybean inspections rose to 612,539 tons, and wheat assessments increased to 599,595 tons. Cattle futures remain tight, with strong consumer demand. Severe thunderstorms are forecasted in North Dakota and Central Illinois. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

US president Donald Trump most recent visit to three Gulf monarchies — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — saw him leave with bountiful, billion-dollar deals. According to fact sheets released by the White House, the president secured economic agreements amounting to $600 billion with Saudi Arabia, $243.5 billion with Qatar, and $200 billion with the UAE — what were deemed as “historic” levels of investment. While these reported deals illustrate Mr Trump's strong business focus, the choice of the three Gulf states reflects their global diplomatic standing and connections with the US president. The mutual adulation on display pointed to how Washington sees the Gulf states as paving the way in Middle Eastern affairs. From the Gulf-US Summit to the announcement of Syria's sanction relief, Mr Trump's programme was also marked by discussion on important regional files. The glaring omission on his itinerary, however, was Israel — sparking speculation of a Trump-Netanyahu rift. Are we witnessing a golden era in US-Gulf relations? How sustainable are the deals signed? Apart from doing business, will the Trump administration provide greater security guarantees to the Gulf states? Are we expecting more US-Gulf alignment on regional theatres such as Iran, Syria, and Gaza? The Middle East Institute hosted two experts from the region, Hasan Alhasan and Yousuf Al Bulushi, to address the above issues and more.

Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Mohammed Soliman about President Donald Trump's recent trip to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, which yielded a wave of major US-Gulf tech and AI deals. Soliman explains how these partnerships mark a shift in the relationship—from oil and arms to compute power and data infrastructure—and what it means for the Gulf's strategic role in the global AI ecosystem. The discussion explores the energy bottlenecks behind AI development, evolving US export control policy, and the social and geopolitical implications of the Gulf's ambitions to become a digital hub for emerging markets. Recorded May 19, 2025. More analysis from Mohammed Soliman: Realigning US-Saudi relations for the AI era Sheikh Tahnoon in Washington: UAE-US relations reimagined for the 21st century with technology at the core JD Vance Unveils America's AI Doctrine (The National Interest)

Trillions of dollars were pledged during the US president’s three-nation tour of the Gulf this week. So, are the Gulf nations now in sync with Washington on some of the biggest challenges in the region? And is Donald Trump re-shaping the Middle East, or will the Gulf states dictate future US foreign policy? In this episode: Giorgio Cafiero, CEO at Gulf State Analytics. Hassan Barari, Professor of International Affairs at Qatar University. Alon Pinkas, Former Ambassador and Consul General of Israel in New York. Host: Dareen Abughaida Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

The US president is flying in to Saudi Arabia for a high profile visit to the region. It's his first official foreign trip in office - apart from a brief visit to Rome. For Saudi Arabia, Trump's visit is about strengthening ties with their longest-standing Western ally - a relationship that grew strained during the Biden years.For President Trump, it is about landing investment deals that can be framed as a win for his economic agenda. So can both sides get what they want?Produced and presented by Sameer Hashmi(Image: President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pictured in 2019. Credit: Getty Images)

President Trump has been threatening to “take back” the Panama Canal since he regained power. In this episode, listen to testimony from officials serving on the Federal Maritime Commission who explain why the Panama Canal has become a focus of the administration and examine whether or not we need to be concerned about an impending war for control of the canal. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes Current Events around the Panama Canal March 5, 2025. the Associated Press. Sabrina Valle, Suzanne McGee, and Michael Martina. March 4, 2025. Reuters. Matt Murphy, Jake Horton and Erwan Rivault. February 14, 2025. BBC. May 1, 2024. World Weather Attribution. World Maritime News Staff. March 15, 2019. World Maritime News. July 29, 2018. Reuters. Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 U.S. Department of State. The Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative” Michele Ruta. March 29, 2018. World Bank Group. The Trump-Gaza Video February 26, 2025. Sky News. Laws Audio Sources Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation January 28, 2025 Witnesses: Louis E. Sola, Chairman, Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Daniel B. Maffei, Commissioner, FMC , Professor, Scalia Law School, George Mason University Joseph Kramek, President & CEO, World Shipping Council Clips 17:30 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Between the American construction of the Panama Canal, the French effort to build an isthmus canal, and America's triumphant completion of that canal, the major infrastructure projects across Panama cost more than 35,000 lives. For the final decade of work on the Panama Canal, the United States spent nearly $400 million, equivalent to more than $15 billion today. The Panama Canal proved a truly invaluable asset, sparing both cargo ships and warships the long journey around South America. When President Carter gave it away to Panama, Americans were puzzled, confused, and many outraged. With the passage of time, many have lost sight of the canal's importance, both to national security and to the US economy. 18:45 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): But the Panama Canal was not just given away. President Carter struck a bargain. He made a treaty. And President Trump is making a serious and substantive argument that that treaty is being violated right now. 19:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): President Trump has highlighted two key issues. Number one, the danger of China exploiting or blocking passage through the canal, and number two, the exorbitant costs for transit. 19:20 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Chinese companies are right now building a bridge across the canal at a slow pace, so as to take nearly a decade. And Chinese companies control container points ports at either end. The partially completed bridge gives China the ability to block the canal without warning, and the ports give China ready observation posts to time that action. This situation, I believe, poses acute risks to US national security. 19:50 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Meanwhile, the high fees for canal transit disproportionately affect Americans, because US cargo accounts for nearly three quarters of Canal transits. US Navy vessels pay additional fees that apply only to warships. Canal profits regularly exceed $3 billion. This money comes from both American taxpayers and consumers in the form of higher costs for goods. American tourists aboard cruises, particularly those in the Caribbean Sea, are essentially captive to any fees Panama chooses to levy for canal transits, and they have paid unfair prices for fuel bunkering at terminals in Panama as a result of government granted monopoly. Panama's government relies on these exploitative fees. Nearly 1/10 of its budget is paid for with canal profit. 21:25 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Panama has for years flagged dozens of vessels in the Iranian ghost fleet, which brought Iran tens of billions of dollars in oil profits to fund terror across the world. 21:40 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): And Chinese companies have won contracts, often without fair competition, as the infamous Belt and Road Initiative has come to Panama. China often engages in debt trap diplomacy to enable economic and political coercion. In Panama, it also seems to have exploited simple corruption. 32:40 Louis Sola: The Panama Canal is managed by the Panama Canal Authority, ACP, an independent agency of the Panamanian government. The ACP is a model of public infrastructure management, and its independence has been key to ensure a safe and reliable transit of vessels critical to the US and global commerce. 33:25 Louis Sola: In contrast, the broader maritime sector in Panama, including the nation's ports, water rights, and the world's largest ship registry, falls under the direct purview of the Panamanian government. 33:35 Louis Sola: Unfortunately, this sector has faced persistent challenges, including corruption scandals and foreign influence, particularly from Brazil and China. These issues create friction with the ACP, especially as it works to address long term challenges such as securing adequate water supplies for the canal. 33:55 Louis Sola: Although the ACP operates independently, under US law both the ACP and the government of Panama's maritime sector are considered one in the same. This means that any challenges in Panama's maritime sector, including corruption, lack of transparency, or foreign influence, can have a direct or indirect impact on the operations and long term stability of the canal. This legal perspective highlights the need for diligence in monitoring both the ACP's management and Panama government's policies affecting maritime operations. 34:30 Louis Sola: Since 2015, Chinese companies have increased their presence and influence throughout Panama. Panama became a member of the Belt and Road Initiative and ended its diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Chinese companies have been able to pursue billions of dollars in development contracts in Panama, many of which were projects directly on or adjacent to the Panama Canal. Many were no bid contracts. Labor laws were waived, and the Panamanian people are still waiting to see how they've been benefited. It is all more concerning that many of these companies are state-owned, and in some cases, even designated as linked to the People's Liberation Army. We must address the significant growing presence and influence of China throughout the Americas and in Panama, specifically. 35:20 Louis Sola: American companies should play a leading role in enhancing the canal's infrastructure. By supporting US firms, we reduce reliance on Chinese contractors and promote fair competition. 36:55 Daniel Maffei: Because the canal is essentially a waterway bridge over mountainous terrain above sea level, it does depend on large supplies of fresh water to maintain the full operations. Panama has among the world's largest annual rainfalls. Nonetheless, insufficient fresh water levels have occurred before in the canal's history, such as in the 1930s when the Madden Dam and Lake Alajuela were built to address water shortages. Since that time, the canal has undertaken several projects to accommodate larger, more modern ships. In the last couple of years, a trend of worsening droughts in the region, once again, has forced limits to the operations of the canal. Starting in June of 2023 the Panama Canal Authority employed draft restrictions and reduced the number of ships allowed to transit the canal per day. Now the Panama Canal limitations, in combination with the de facto closure of the Suez Canal to container traffic, has had serious consequences for ocean commerce, increasing rates, fees and transit times. 39:30 Daniel Maffei: Now, fortunately, Panama's 2024 rainy season has, for now, alleviated the most acute water supply issues at the canal, and normal transit volumes have been restored. That said, while the Panamanian government and Canal Authority have, with the advice of the US Army Corps of Engineers, developed credible plans to mitigate future water shortages, they also warned that it is likely that at least one more period of reduced transits will occur before these plans can be fully implemented. 41:55 Eugene Kontorovich: We shall see that under international law, each party to the treaty is entitled to determine for itself whether a violation has occurred. Now, in exchange for the United States ceding control of the canal which it built and maintained, Panama agreed to a special regime of neutrality. The essential features of this regime of neutrality is that the canal must be open to all nations for transit. That's Article Two. Equitable tolls and fees, Article Three. An exclusive Panamanian operation, Article Five. The prohibition of any foreign military presence, Article Five. Article Five provides that only Panama shall operate the canal. Testifying about the meaning of the treaty at the Senate ratification hearings, the Carter administration emphasized that this prohibits foreign operation of the canal, as well as the garrisoning of foreign troops. Now, Article Five appears to be primarily concerned about control by foreign sovereigns. If Panama signed a treaty with the People's Republic of China, whereby the latter would operate the canal on Panama's behalf, this would be a clear violation. But what if Panama contracted for port operations with a Chinese state firm, or even a private firm influenced or controlled in part by the Chinese government? The Suez Canal Company was itself, before being nationalized, a private firm in which the United Kingdom was only a controlling shareholder. Yet this was understood to represent British control over the canal. In other words, a company need not be owned by the government to be in part controlled by the government. So the real question is the degree of de jure or de facto control over a Foreign Sovereign company, and scenarios range from government companies in an authoritarian regime, completely controlled, to purely private firms in our open society like the United States, but there's many possible situations in the middle. The treaty is silent on the question of how much control is too much, and as we'll see, this is one of the many questions committed to the judgment and discretion of each party. Now turning to foreign security forces, the presence of third country troops would manifestly violate Article Five. But this does not mean that anything short of a People's Liberation Army base flying a red flag is permissible. The presence of foreign security forces could violate the regime of neutrality, even if they're not represented in organized and open military formations. Modern warfare has seen belligerent powers seek to evade international legal limitations by disguising their actions in civilian garb, from Russia's notorious little green men to Hamas terrorists hiding in hospitals or disguised as journalists. Bad actors seek to exploit the fact that international treaties focus on sovereign actors. Many of China's man made islands in the South China Sea began as civilian projects before being suddenly militarized. Indeed, this issue was discussed in the Senate ratification hearings over the treaty. Dean Rusk said informal forces would be prohibited under the treaty. Thus the ostensible civilian character of the Chinese presence around the canal does not, in itself, mean that it could not represent a violation of the treaty if, for example, these companies and their employees involved Chinese covert agents or other agents of the Chinese security forces. So this leads us to the final question, Who determines whether neutrality is being threatened or compromised? Unlike many other treaties that provide for third party dispute resolution, the neutrality treaty has no such provision. Instead, the treaty makes clear that each party determines for itself the existence of a violation. Article Four provides that each party is separately authorized to maintain the regime of neutrality, making a separate obligation of each party. The Senate's understanding accompanying to ratification also made clear that Article Five allows each party to take, quote, "unilateral action." Senator Jacob Javits, at the markup hearing, said that while the word unilateral is abrasive, we can quote, "decide that the regime of neutrality is being threatened and then act with whatever means are necessary to keep the canal neutral unilaterally." 46:35 Joseph Kramek: My name is Joe Kramek. I'm President and CEO of the World Shipping Council. The World Shipping Council is the global voice of liner shipping. Our membership consists of 90% of the world's liner shipping tonnage, which are container vessels and vehicle carriers. They operate on fixed schedules to provide our customers with regular service to ship their goods in ports throughout the world. 47:15 Joseph Kramek: As you have heard, using the Panama Canal to transit between the Atlantic and Pacific saves significant time and money. A typical voyage from Asia to the US or East Coast can be made in under 30 days using the canal, while the same journey can take up to 40 days if carriers must take alternate routes. From a commercial trade perspective, the big picture is this. One of the world's busiest trade lanes is the Trans Pacific. The Trans Pacific is cargo coming from and going to Asia via the United States. Focusing in a bit, cargo coming from Asia and bound for US Gulf and East Coast ports always transits the Panama Canal. Similarly, cargo being exported from US and East Coast ports, a large share of which are US Agricultural exports, like soybeans, corn, cotton, livestock and dairy also almost always transits the Panama Canal. The result is that 75% of Canal traffic originates in or is bound for the United States. 48:55 Joseph Kramek: We've talked about the drought in 2023 and the historic low water levels that it caused in Lake Gatún, which feeds the canal locks, a unique system that is a fresh water feed, as contrasted to an ocean to ocean system, which the French tried and failed, but which is actually active in the Suez Canal. These low water levels reduced transits from 36 transits a day to as low as 22 per day. Additionally, the low water levels required a reduction in maximum allowable draft levels, or the depth of the ship below the water line, which for our members reduced the amount of containers they could carry through the canal. This resulted in a 10% reduction in import volumes for US Gulf and East Coast ports, with the Port of Houston experiencing a 26.7% reduction. 51:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Are you aware of allegations from some vessel operators of disparate treatment such as sweetheart deals or favorable rebates by Panama for canal transits? Louis Sola: Thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman, we have become aware through some complaints by cruise lines that said that they were not getting a refund of their canal tolls. When we looked into this, we found a Panamanian Executive Order, Decree 73, that specifically says that if a cruise line would stop at a certain port, that they could be refunded 100% of the fees. And as far as I know, that's the only instant where that exists. 53:05 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): So Panama was the very first Latin American country to join China's Belt and Road Initiative, and right now, China is building a fourth bridge across the Panama Canal for car traffic and light rail. Chairman Sola, why should Chinese construction of a bridge near Panama City concern the United States? Louis Sola: Mr. Chairman, we all saw the tragedy that happened here in the Francis Scott Key Bridge incident and the devastation that had happened to Baltimore. We also saw recently what happened in the Suez Canal, where we had a ship get stuck in there. It's not only the construction of the bridge, but it's a removal of a bridge, as I understand it, called the Bridge of the Americas. It was built in 1961 and that would paralyze cargo traffic in and out of the canals. 53:55 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Panama also recently renewed the concessions for two container ports to a Chinese company, Hutchison Ports PPC. Of course, Chinese companies are controlled by the Communist Party. How does China use control of those ports for economic gain? Louis Sola: Mr. Chairman, I am a regulator, a competition regulator. And the Chinese ports that you're referring to, let me put them into scope. The one on the Pacific, the Port of Balboa, is roughly the same size as the Port of Houston. They do about 4 million containers a year. They have about 28 game tree cranes. The one on the Atlantic is the same as my hometown in Miami, they do about 1 million containers. So where Roger Gunther in the Port of Houston generates about $1 billion a year and Heidi Webb in Miami does about $200 million, the Panama ports company paid 0 for 20 years on that concession. So it's really hard to compete against zero. So I think that's our concern, our economic concern, that we would have. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Commissioner Maffei, anything to add on that? Daniel Maffei: Yeah, I do too also think it is important. I would point out that you don't have to stop at either port. It's not like these two ports control the entrance to the canal. That is the Canal Authority that does control that. However, I think it's of concern. I would also point out that the Panamanian government thinks it's of concern too, because they're conducting their own audit of those particular deals, but we remain very interested as well. 56:25 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Would the facts discussed here be considered violations of the neutrality treaty in force right now between the United States and Panama? Eugene Kontorovich: So I think Senator, I think potentially they could, but it's impossible to say definitively without knowing more, in particular, about the degree of Chinese control and involvement in these companies. I think it's important to note that these port operation companies that operate the ports on both sides, when they received their first contract, it was just a few months before Hong Kong was handed over to China. In other words, they received them as British companies, sort of very oddly, just a few months before the handover. Now, of course, since then, Hong Kong has been incorporated into China, has been placed under a special national security regime, and the independence of those companies has been greatly abridged, to say nothing of state owned companies involved elsewhere in in the canal area, which raised significantly greater questions. Additionally, I should point out that the understandings between President Carter and Panamanian leader Herrera, which were attached to the treaty and form part of the treaty, provide that the United States can, quote, "defend the canal against any threat to the regime of neutrality," and I understand that as providing some degree of preemptive authority to intervene. One need not wait until the canal is actually closed by some act of sabotage or aggression, which, as we heard from the testimony, would be devastating to the United States, but there is some incipient ability to address potential violations. 58:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): If the United States determines that Panama is in violation of the treaty, what is the range of remedies the United States would have for that treaty violation? Eugene Kontorovich: So I think it may be shocking to people to hear today, but when one goes over the ratification history and the debates and discussions in this body over this treaty, it was clear that the treaty was understood as giving both sides, separately, the right to resort to use armed force to enforce the provisions of the treaty. And it's not so surprising when one understands that the United States made an extraordinary concession to Panama by transferring this canal, which the United States built at great expense and maintained and operated to Panama, gratis. And in exchange, it received a kind of limitation, a permanent limitation on Panamanians sovereignty, that Panama agreed that the United States could enforce this regime of neutrality by force. Now, of course, armed force should never be the first recourse for any kind of international dispute and should not be arrived at sort of rationally or before negotiations and other kinds of good offices are exhausted, but it's quite clear that the treaty contemplates that as a remedy for violations. 1:03:20 Louis Sola: I believe that the security of the canal has always been understood to be provided by the United States. Panama does not have a military, and I always believed that there's been a close relationship with Southern Command that we would provide that. And it would be nice to see if we had a formalization of that in one way or another, because I don't believe that it's in the treaty at all. 1:05:05 Daniel Maffei: While we were down there, both of us heard, I think, several times, that the Panamanians would, the ones we talked to anyway, would welcome US companies coming in and doing a lot of this work. Frankly, their bids are not competitive with the Chinese bids. Frankly, they're not that existent because US companies can make more money doing things other places, but even if they were existent, it is difficult to put competitive bids when the Chinese bids are so heavily subsidized by China. 1:06:10 Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): What would China's incentive be to heavily subsidize those bids to undercut American companies and other companies? Daniel Maffei: Yeah, it's not a real short answer, but Senator, China's made no secret of its ambitious policies to gain influence of ports throughout the globe. It's invested in 129 ports in dozens of countries. It runs a majority of 17 ports, that does not include this Hong Kong company, right? So that's just directly Chinese-owned ports. So it has been a part of their Belt and Road strategy, whatever you want to call it, the Maritime Silk Road, for decades. So they believe that this influence, this investment in owning maritime ports is important to their economy. 1:07:05 Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE): In 2021, Hutchison was awarded those two ports, Port Balboa and Port Cristobal, in a no-bid award process. Can you tell me, does the United States have any authority or recourse with the Panama Canal Authority under our current agreement with Panama to rebid those terminal concession contracts. And perhaps Mr. Kantorovich, that's more in your purview? Louis Sola: Senator, both of those ports were redone for 25 years, until 2047, I believe. And they have to pay $7 million is what the ongoing rate is for the Port of Houston- and the Port of Miami-sized concessions. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE): And it can't be rebid until after that date? Louis Sola: Well, I believe that that's what the comptroller's office is auditing both of those ports and that contract. That was done under the previous Panamanian administration. A new administration came in, and they called for an audit of that contract immediately. 1:20:10 Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Are the companies now controlling both sides of the Panama Canal, the Chinese companies, subject to the PRC national security laws that mandate cooperation with the military, with state intelligence agencies. Does anyone know that? Eugene Kontorovich: They're subject all the time. They're subject to those laws all the time by virtue of being Hong Kong companies. And you know, they face, of course, consequences for not complying with the wishes of the Chinese government. One of the arguments -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Wouldn't that be a violation of the treaty? And isn't that a huge risk to us right now that the Chinese -- Eugene Kontorovich: That is a threat to the neutrality -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): If they invaded Taiwan, invaded the Philippines, they could go to these two companies saying, Hey, shut it down, make it hard, sink a ship in the canal. And wouldn't they be obligated to do that under Chinese law if they were ordered to by the PLA or the CCP? Eugene Kontorovich: I don't know if they'd be obligated, but certainly the People's Republic of China would have many tools of leverage and pressure on these companies. That's why the treaty specifically says that we can act not just to end actual obstructions to the canal. We don't have to wait until the canal is closed by hostile military action. Thatwould be a suicide pact, that would be catastrophic for us, but rather that we can respond at the inchoate, incipient level to threats, and then this is up to the president to determine whether this is significantly robust to constitute -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): So aren't we kind of walking up to the idea of a suicide pact, because we've got two big Chinese companies on both ends of the Panama Canal, who, if there's a war in INDOPACOM, Taiwan that involves us and China, these companies would be obligated to do the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party and PLA? I mean, are we kind of walking up to a very significant national security threat already? Eugene Kontorovich: Yeah, certainly, there's a threat. And I think what makes the action of the Chinese government so difficult to respond to, but important to respond to, is that they conceal this in sort of levels of gray without direct control. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Let me ask you on that topic, as my last question, Professor, let's assume that we find out. And again, it wouldn't be surprising. I think you can almost assume it that these two companies have Chinese spies or military officials within the ranks of the employees of the companies. Let's assume we found that out, somehow that becomes public. But I don't think it's a big assumption. It's probably true right now. So you have spies and military personnel within the ranks of these two companies that are controlling both ends of the Panama Canal for you, Professor, and Chairman Sola, wouldn't that be a blatant violation of Article Five of the neutrality treaty, if that were true, which probably is true? Eugene Kontorovich: Yeah, I do think it would be a clear violation. As former Secretary of State, Dean Ross said at the ratification hearings, informal forces can violate Article Five as well as formal forces. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): Is there any evidence of Chinese spies or other nefarious Chinese actors embedded in these companies? Louis Sola: Senator, we have no information of that. That's not under the purview of -- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK): But you agree that would be a violation of Article Five of the neutrality treaty? Louis Sola: I do. 1:26:25 Daniel Maffei: Senator Sullivan was talking about Hutchison Ports. That's actually the same company that runs terminals on both ends of the canal. I am concerned about that. However, if we want to be concerned about that, all of us should lose a lot more sleep than we're losing because if there are spies there, then there might be spies at other Hutchinson ports, and there are other Hutchinson ports in almost every part of the world. They own the largest container port in the United Kingdom, Felix Dow, which is responsible for nearly half of Britain's container trade. They control major maritime terminals in Argentina, Australia, the Bahamas, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Myanmar, the Netherlands, South Korea and Tanzania. If owning and managing adjacent ports means that China somehow has operational control or strategic control over the Panama Canal, they also have it over the Suez, the Singapore Straits, the Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel. 1:35:45 Louis Sola: The fees that I think we are looking at, or have been looked at, the reason that we went there was because of the auctioning of the slots. And so what Panama did is they had a smaller percentage, maybe 20% allocation, and then they moved it up to 30% and 40% because it became a money maker for them. So as they were doing -- Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): Okay, let me interject here. The auctioning of the slots gives these the right to skip the queue? Louis Sola: Yes, ma'am. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): Okay, so just for the record there. Continue. Louis Sola: So the auctioning of the slots. Under maritime law, it's first come first serve, but Panama has always put a certain percentage aside, and they started to put more and more. So we got a lot of complaints. We got a lot of complaints from LNG carriers that paid $4 million to go through, and we got a lot of complaints from agriculture that didn't have the money to pay to go through, because their goods were gonna go down. So if you look at the financial statements -- I'm a nerd, I look at financial statements of everybody -- the canal increased the amount of revenue that they had from about $500 million to $1.8 billion in the last three years just because of those fees. So this is what is very concerning to us. 1:39:20 Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN): Do you know of any instances where the United States has been singled out or treated unfairly under the neutrality treaty in the operation of the canal? Daniel Maffei: I do not. I would add that one of the reasons why saying the US is disproportionately affected by raises in Canal fees and other kinds of fees at the canal is because the United States disproportionately utilizes the canal. 1:44:55 Louis Sola: We have a US port there, SSA, out of Washington State that I actually worked on the development of that many years ago, and helped develop that. That used to be a United States Navy submarine base, and we converted that. As far as the two ports that we have, they're completely different. One is a major infrastructure footprint, and also a container port that's moving 4 million containers a year. That's really phenomenal amount. That's more than Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and you've probably got to get Tampa and a little bit of Jacksonville in there to get that type of volume. And on the other side, we have a very small port, but it's a very strategic port on the Atlantic. So how are the operations done?I don't know how they don't make money. I mean, if you want to come right down to it, if they've been operating the port for 20 years, and they say that they haven't made any money, so they haven't been able to pay the government. That's what concerns me is I don't believe that we're on a level playing field with the American ports. 1:58:50 Eugene Kontorovich: I think the charges and fees are less of an issue because they don't discriminate across countries. We pay more because we use more, but it's not nationally discriminatory. 1:59:00 Eugene Kontorovich: The presence of Chinese companies, especially Chinese state companies, but not limited to them, do raise serious issues and concerns for the neutrality of the treaty. And I should point out, in relation to some of the earlier questioning, the canal, for purposes of the neutrality treaty, is not limited just to the actual locks of the canal and the transit of ships through the canal. According to Annex One, paragraph one of the treaty, it includes also the entrances of the canal and the territorial sea of Panama adjacent to it. So all of the activities we're talking about are within the neutrality regime, the geographic scope of the neutrality regime in the treaty. 2:00:30 Daniel Maffei: I actually have to admit, I'm a little confused as to why some of the senators asking these questions, Senator Blackburn, aren't more concerned about the biggest port in the United Kingdom being run by the Chinese. Petraeus in the port nearest Athens, one of the biggest ports in the Mediterranean, is not just run by a Chinese-linked company, it's run directly by a Chinese-owned company, and I was there. So you're on to something, but if you're just focusing on Panama, that's only part. 2:01:45 Louis Sola: About a year ago, when we were having this drought issue, there was also a lot of focus on Iran and how they were funding Hamas and the Houthis because they were attacking the Red Sea. What the United States has found is that Iranian vessels are sometimes flagged by Panama in order to avoid sanctions, so that they could sell the fuel that they have, and then they can take that money and then they can use it as they wish. Panama, at the time, had a very complicated process to de-flag the vessels. There was an investigation, there was an appeals process. By the time that OFAC or Treasury would go ahead and identify one of those vessels, by the time that they were doing the appeals and stuff like this, they've already changed flags to somewhere else. So when we went to Panama, we met with the Panamanian president, and I must say that we were very impressed, because he was 30 minutes late, but he was breaking relations with Venezuela at the time because the election was the day before. We explained to him the situation. The very next day, we met with the maritime minister, with US embassy personnel and Panama actually adjusted their appeals process so to make it more expedient, so if the United States or OFAC would come and say that this Iranian vessel is avoiding sanctions, now we have a process in place to go ahead and do that, and 53 vessels were de-flagged because of that. 2:06:05 Sen. John Curtis (R-UT): Is there any reason that China can't watch or do whatever they want from this bridge to get the intel from these containers? And does that concern anybody? Louis Sola: Well, it definitely concerns Southern Command, because they've brought it up on numerous occasions that there could be some sort of surveillance or something like that on the bridges. 2:20:30 Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): We segregate ourselves artificially in a way that they do not. We segregate ourselves. Let's talk about military. Let's talk about intelligence. Let's talk about economics. They don't. China doesn't work that way. It's a whole of government approach. They don't draw a delineation between an economics discussion and a military one. And their attack may not look like Pearl Harbor. It may look like an everyday ship that decides, you know, it pulls into the locks and blows itself up. And now the locks are non-functional for our usage, and we can't support an inter ocean fleet transfer, and our ability to defend it, as you referred to Chairman, is now inhibited by the fact that we no longer have the military infrastructure around the canal that we did just as recently as 1999. 2:21:10 Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): So from a commercial perspective, do the shipping companies have concerns over the security of the narrow waterways? We've the Strait to Malacca, we've got the Suez Canal, we've got Gibraltar, we've got Panama. Is that a concern that's thrown around in the boardrooms of the largest shipping corporations in the world? Joseph Kramek: Senator, I think it's something they think about every day. I mean, really, it's drawn into sharp relief with the Red Sea. It was what I call a pink flamingo. There's black swans that just come up and there's pink flamingos that you can see, but you don't act. But no one really thought a whole lot that one of the most important waterways in the world could be denied, and moreover, that it could be denied for such a sustained period. The good news is that -- Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT): And denied, I might add, by a disaffected non-state actor of Bedouins running around with rocket launchers, who also managed to beat us in a 20 year war in Afghanistan. My point to saying all this is we're just debating operational control of the canal, yet it seems very clear to all of us that a very simple act can debilitate the canal and eliminate our ability to use it in a matter of minutes with no warning, and we have no ability to intervene or stop that. To me, that means we do not have operational control of the canal. 2:30:40 Daniel Maffei: I will say that certainly we need to look at other kinds of ways to get US companies in positions where they can truly compete with the Chinese on some of these things. Blaming it all on Panama really misses the point. I've seen the same thing in Greece, where Greece didn't want to give the concession of its largest port to a Chinese company, but because of its financial difficulties, it was getting pressure from international organizations such the IMF, Europe and even maybe some of the United States to do so. So I just ask you to look at that. 2:31:20 Daniel Maffei: Panamanians are making far more on their canal than they ever have before. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it's going to the right place. But where they're really making the money is on these auctions, and that is why it remains a concern of mine and I'm sure the chairman's. That is where we are looking at, potentially, using our authority under Section 19 of the Merchant Marine Act where we could, if we can show that it is a problem with the foreign trade of the US, it's interfering with foreign trade of the US, there are certain things that we can do. Senate Foreign Relations Committee January 15, 2024 Clips 4:01:40 Marco Rubio: The thing with Panama on the canal is not new. I visited there. It was 2016. I think I've consistently seen people express concern about it, and it's encapsulized here in quote after quote. Let me tell you the former US ambassador who served under President Obama said: "the Chinese see in Panama what we saw in Panama throughout the 20th century, a maritime and aviation logistics hub." The immediate past head of Southern Command, General Laura Richardson, said, "I was just in Panama about a month ago and flying along the Panama Canal and looking at the state owned enterprises from the People's Republic of China on each side of the Panama Canal. They look like civilian companies or state owned enterprises that could be used for dual use and could be quickly changed over to a military capability." We see questions that were asked by the ranking member in the house China Select Committee, where he asked a witness and they agreed that in a time of conflict, China could use its presence on both ends of the canal as a choke point against the United States in a conflict situation. So the concerns about Panama have been expressed by people on both sides of the aisle for at least the entire time that I've been in the United States Senate, and they've only accelerated further. And this is a very legitimate issue that we face there. I'm not prepared to answer this question because I haven't looked at the legal research behind it yet, but I'm compelled to suspect that an argument could be made that the terms under which that canal were turned over have been violated. Because while technically, sovereignty over the canal has not been turned over to a foreign power, in reality, a foreign power today possesses, through their companies, which we know are not independent, the ability to turn the canal into a choke point in a moment of conflict. And that is a direct threat to the national interest and security the United States, and is particularly galling given the fact that we paid for it and that 5,000 Americans died making it. That said, Panama is a great partner on a lot of other issues, and I hope we can resolve this issue of the canal and of its security, and also continue to work with them cooperatively on a host of issues we share in common, including what to do with migration. 4:38:35 Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT): Now, President Trump has recently talked a little bit about the fact that there are some questions arising about the status of the Panama Canal. When we look to the treaty at issue, the treaty concerning the permanent neutrality and operation of the Panama Canal, we're reminded that some things maybe aren't quite as they should be there right now. Given that the Chinese now control major ports at the entry and the exit to the canal, it seems appropriate to say that there's at least an open question. There's some doubt as to whether the canal remains neutral. Would you agree with that assessment? Marco Rubio: Yes. Here's the challenge. Number one, I want to be clear about something. The Panamanian government, particularly its current office holders, are very friendly to the United States and very cooperative, and we want that to continue, and I want to bifurcate that from the broader issue of the canal. Now I am not, President Trump is not inventing this. This is something that's existed now for at least a decade. In my service here, I took a trip to Panama in 2017. When on that trip to Panama in 2017 it was the central issue we discussed about the canal, and that is that Chinese companies control port facilities at both ends of the canal, the east and the west, and the concerns among military officials and security officials, including in Panama, at that point, that that could one day be used as a choke point to impede commerce in a moment of conflict. Going back to that I -- earlier before you got here, and I don't want to have to dig through this folder to find it again, but -- basically cited how the immediate past head of Southern Command, just retired general Richardson, said she flew over the canal, looked down and saw those Chinese port facilities, and said Those look like dual use facilities that in a moment of conflict, could be weaponized against us. The bipartisan China commission over in the House last year, had testimony and hearings on this issue, and members of both parties expressed concern. The former ambassador to Panama under President Obama has expressed those concerns. This is a legitimate issue that needs to be confronted. The second point is the one you touched upon, and that is, look, could an argument be made, and I'm not prepared to answer it yet, because it's something we're going to have to study very carefully. But I think I have an inkling of I know where this is going to head. Can an argument be made that the Chinese basically have effective control of the canal anytime they want? Because if they order a Chinese company that controls the ports to shut it down or impede our transit, they will have to do so. There are no independent Chinese companies. They all exist because they've been identified as national champions. They're supported by the Chinese government. And if you don't do what they want, they find a new CEO, and you end up being replaced and removed. So they're under the complete control of their government. This is a legitimate question, and one that Senators Risch had some insight as well. He mentioned that in passing that needs to be looked at. This is not a joke. The Panama Canal issue is a very serious one. 4:44:30 Marco Rubio: In 2016 and 2017 that was well understood that part of the investments they made in Panama were conditioned upon Panama's ability to convince the Dominican Republic and other countries to flip their recognition away from Taiwan. That happened. Jen Briney's Recent Guest Appearances Travis Makes Money: Give and Take: Music by Editing Production Assistance

Half-day trading is conducted today given how it is Christmas eve, and Singapore shares started trading in positive territory this morning, mirroring overnight gains in global markets. The Straits Times Index (STI) opened 0.2 per cent higher at 3,760.29 points after 49 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch today, we have Seatrium, after the offshore and marine specialist was awarded a contract by BP Exploration and Production for a deepwater new-build floating production unit (FPU) in the US Gulf of Mexico. Elsewhere, from how TSMC shares touched a record high to how Microsoft is reportedly adding internal and third-party artificial intelligence models to power its flagship AI product Microsoft 365 Copilot to diversify from OpenAI and reduce costs – more international and corporate headlines remain in focus. On Market View, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments of the day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rise in availability of TMX volumes in Asia, specifically in China, has affected the US Gulf coast but not in the ways that had been expected. Canadian crude prices and flows into the US have not changed all that much, but the US Gulf coast medium sour markets are certainly now feeling the pinch. Mars exports to China are at an all-time low, weighing on their prices and impacting medium sours that either price against it or compete as an alternative supply into regional refineries.    Key topics covered in the podcast:   Volumes of Canadian crudes coming into the US and impacts on Cushing   Canadian heavy prices at Houston   How medium sours are feeling the pinch from increased Chinese buying of TMX volumes

Get up to speed with the US refined oil products export market with a look at medium range (MR) tanker rates from the US Gulf coast and the west coast. Listen to US Products Associate Editor Jason Metko and Americas Freight Deputy Editor Ross Griffith as they discuss topics including: Panama Canal transit update Fourth quarter MR tanker demand outlook Shifting trade flows for west coast Americas US east coast imported gasoline demand

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links-Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.

David Appleton seats with LPG editor, Amy Strahan, to discuss recent multi-year highs in the spot cargo market out of the US Gulf coast and what it means for the winter outlook.

While there is a "tsunami" of liquidity currently flowing that can power stocks higher into year end, in the near term, stocks are looking over-bought and a (short-term) sell signal was triggered this week says portfolio manager Lance Roberts. So between now and the election, be prepared for stocks to trade sluggishly and/or weaken. Other than that, though, the developments this week have been largely favorable for the economy. Very strong jobs numbers (if we can believe them), a resolution to the longshoremen strike that threatened to paralyze ports along the US Gulf and East coasts, and a potential resumption of student loan forgiveness. We talk about all that and more, including Lance's firm's latest trades, in this week's Market Recap. WORRIED ABOUT THE MARKET? SCHEDULE YOUR FREE PORTFOLIO REVIEW with Thoughtful Money's endorsed financial advisors at https://www.thoughtfulmoney.com #jobsreport #liquidity #bearmarket --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thoughtful-money/support

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…It's no secret the US Navy is seeking ways to find better ways to build ships - but what are some of these efforts producing? And where is the accountability for billions of dollars going to – a non-profit organization? We'll talk about some of the elements with Sam LaGrone of USNI News, who will also review his recent trip with Chris Cavas to visit shipbuilders along the US Gulf coast. Please send us feedback by DM'ing @CavasShips or @CSSProvision or you can email chriscavas@gmail.com or cservello@defaeroreport.com.

Welcome to CNBC-TV18's Marketbuzz Podcast. Here are all the top news from around the world ahead of the trading session of September 12 -Even as the Nifty witnessed selling pressure yesterday the moment it crossed 25,100 intraday, this morning the market is likely to start on a higher note following positive global cues. GIFT Nifty was higher this morning, trading at a premium of more than 100 pts from Nifty Futures Wednesday close, indicating a gap-up start for the Indian market. -Yesterday, the Nifty not only failed to defend the 25,000 mark, but at one point even broke below 24,900, before eventually closing above that mark after final adjustments. 24,800 on the downside and 25,100 on the upside has become the current range for the Nifty. Even Gautam Shah of Goldilocks Premium Advisory told CNBC-TV18 yesterday that 25,150 is now a very important near-term barrier for the Nifty, that it needs to cross for further upside. -Selling pressure came from all corners, be it Metals, Autos, PSU banks and even the entire CPSE basket, which continues to move lower from its August 1 peak. Even the midcap index, which was an outperformer till the start of the second half of the day, ended in the red. -Though the US markets closed higher overnight, US CPI for August came in at 2.5%, which was the lowest since February 2021, while core CPI can be hotter than expected. The major benchmarks rebounded from intraday lows as core CPI rose slightly more than expected and investors changed their bets for a quarter-percentage-point-cut by the Fed next week. -This morning, stocks in Asia rose as a tech-fueled rally on Wall Street spread across the region, supported by expected Federal Reserve rate cuts next week. Equities in Japan and South Korea advanced, with the Topix up the most in almost a month. A region-wide gauge of tech stocks rose more than 1%. The gain for share benchmarks in Tokyo partly reflected the yen's reversal from its strongest level against the dollar since December. -Oil, meanwhile, held gains from Wednesday as Hurricane Francine ripped through key oil-producing zones in the US Gulf of Mexico, prompting traders to cover bearish bets. Spot gold was little changed. -India is poised to release its August consumer price index late Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters expect it to rise 3.5% year-on-year, compared to 3.54% in July. -Stocks to watch: Adani Ports, IndiGo, Route Mobile, BPCL, NBCC, HPCL, Olectra Greentech, Wipro Tune in to the Marketbuzz Podcast for more cues

Stay informed with Fuels Focus, the essential podcast from Argus that delivers timely analysis and key highlights from the US refined products marketplace. Each week, our experts break down the most significant developments affecting gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, RINs and ethanol prices – equipping you with the knowledge to navigate the market complexities with confidence. In our second episode, we dive into: US Gulf coast diesel cash prices reach a low | Read more Retail fuel prices continue price declines | Read more A major airline's flight attendants authorize to strike | Read more Groups push EPA to amend Valero's Houston refinery permit | Read more Tune in every Monday for your weekly recap of the stories shaping the road fuels market. Your Go-To Source for Reliable Road Fuel Prices As a trusted source in the industry, Argus delivers accurate, timely pricing for gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, RINs, ethanol, and more. Our data equips buyers, sellers, and refiners with the precision necessary to operate confidently in the dynamic market. Explore our services and discover how we can support your business in mastering market dynamics. Learn more

The new 590,000 b/d Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) pipeline has the potential to shift export patterns for heavy sour Canadian crude away from the US Gulf coast by adding new capacity out of Vancouver's Westridge terminal, but some obstacles persist. Join Argus' crude and LPG editorial manager Gus Vasquez and deputy editor Amanda Hilow in discussing the new pipeline, its purpose and early trade patterns surrounding its deliveries. Key topics covered in the podcast: Canadian crude buyers seek a more efficient route to market Lingering logistical constraints after the commencement of TMX Crude grades being delivered via the pipeline  

Get a look at what's happening now in the US refined oil products export market as medium range (MR) tanker rates in the US Gulf coast rebound from 2024 lows, in this podcast. US Products Associate Editor Jason Metko sits down with Americas Freight Deputy Editor Ross Griffith, to discuss a series of topics including: Shifting trade flows on geopolitical turmoil Rising Mexican refinery output Panama Canal disruptions and demand outlooks for 2024

Hear Argus' analysis of ammonia market developments, including a focus on US ammonia capacity expansion, the downturn in European ammonia production and the impact on global trade flows. Join Mike Nash, Senior Editor, and Ruth Sharpe, Editor of Argus Ammonia and Group Editor, Raw Materials as they discuss these topics and more in the latest episode of Argus' Fertilizer Matters podcast series.   Key topics covered in the podcast:   Update on market sentiments from the Argus Clean Ammonia Europe conference US: Expansion of ammonia capacity and exports, and the impact on global trade flows Russia: The loss of Russian ammonia supply and impact on global trade flows Europe: Downturn in ammonia production, high production costs and increased reliance on imports New Ammonia fob US Gulf price assessment from Argus   Related links Webinar: Clean ammonia long-term cost and price modelling Request a sample report/more information Ammonia price reporting, short and mid to long-term outlook services Free sign up: Fertilizer Focus MagazineOther complimentary fertilizer content

The Rice Energy Finance Summit (REFS) is an annual student-led conference promoting forward-looking discussions on the most relevant energy finance, investment and strategy topics affecting the global energy industry. And founders Jan Goetgeluk and Jesús Patiño say it's just another example of what you can do with the support and resources found within the Rice community & network. Jan is originally from Belgium, where he earned a bachelor's and master's in mechanical engineering from Ghent University, and came to Houston in 2007 as a project engineer for Katoen Natie, a Belgian petrochemical logistics conglomerate. Jan is the founder and CEO of Virtuix and the developer of the Virtuix Omni, the first virtual reality interface to move freely and naturally in video games and virtual worlds. Jesús has over 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He began his career in the oil field with M-I SWACO in his home country of Mexico before expanding into deepwater drilling assignments in the US Gulf of Mexico, Equatorial Guinea, and Ghana. Jesús is a strategy and business development consultant at AerMill Solutions. He previously worked at Oceaneering International as a commercial manager for intervention services. They join host Scott Gale ‘19 to discuss how they first met at Rice international student orientation many years ago, how Hurricane Ike affected the first year of the conference (as well as their friendship), and the importance of swinging big.Episode Quotes:A reflection on rich experiences during and after Rice16:40 [Jan] It's such an incredible rich experience being at Rice Business School. It's a unique time in your life, and for me, it's still today the best time of my life. [Jesus] And that goes definitely to the program and also for the alumni life, right? Once you're an alum, there's always something interesting going on. And being outside Houston, it's harder to remain involved, but attending the events outside Houston and trying to be part of it. You always get more than what you put in.Ideas are like buses 18:39 [Jan] If you want to organize a conference and make it a big success, it's just a matter of doing it. A lot of people have a lot of ideas in life. And I always say that ideas are like buses. There's another one every five minutes. You have to do it, and you have to execute and make it happen.The Rice Business School advantage13:05 [Jesus] Every time I speak with a student, nowadays, I always tell them that there's only two years in their lives where they are going to be able to start an email saying, "I am a Rice MBA student that wants to speak with you." And that line is powerful because it really resonates with people; you get their attention, and that's a door opener that you shouldn't let go.Show Links:TranscriptGuest Profile: Jan Goetgeluk LinkedIn Profile Jesús Patiño's Professional Profile on Rice University Other links: About the Rice Energy Finance Summit  Virtuix

Debates about the US commitment to Gulf security are skewed by confusion, miscommunication, and contradictory policies.

Yevgeny Prigozhin was buried during a private service in his home town of St Petersburg. Also: Evacuation orders are issued in parts of Florida as an extremely dangerous hurricane heads towards the US Gulf coast, and could music from Mozart help to reduce pain in babies?

In this week's episode, host Daniel Raimi talks with Eric Kort, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, about methane emissions from the US oil and gas industry. Kort discusses the emissions that occur during the extraction of oil and gas at onshore and offshore facilities, aerial methods of measuring these emissions and identifying methane leaks, and the increasing concentration of methane in the atmosphere. References and recommendations: “Excess methane emissions from shallow water platforms elevate the carbon intensity of US Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production” by Alan M. Gorchov Negron, Eric A. Kort, Yuanlei Chen, Adam R. Brandt, Mackenzie L. Smith, Genevieve Plant, Alana K. Ayasse, Stefan Schwietzke, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Catherine Hausman, and Ángel F. Adames-Corraliza; https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2215275120 “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth” by Oliver Jeffers; https://www.oliverjeffers.com/here-we-are

Brought to you on the Oil and Gas Global Network, the largest and most listened to podcast network for the oil and energy industry. Enjoying the show? Leave me a review here Don't forget to ask a question for our next First Friday Q&A. You ask the questions and we answer them. Have a question? Click here to ask. This week Mark and Paige cover  News articles IEA Still Predicts Record Oil Demand in 2023 https://www.rigzone.com/news/iea_still_predicts_record_oil_demand_in_2023-18-apr-2023-172554-article/ Will ChatGPT Affect Oil and Gas Jobs? https://www.rigzone.com/news/will_chatgpt_affect_oil_and_gas_jobs-13-apr-2023-172518-article/#:~:text=There%20is%20absolutely%20no%20question,the%20overall%20need%20for%20people”. These are the countries that will be ‘most hit' if oil prices reach $100 https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/06/these-countries-will-be-most-hit-if-oil-prices-reach-100.html Shell's restart of Pierce field “crucial” for UK energy security https://www.worldoil.com/news/2023/4/18/oeuk-shell-s-restart-of-pierce-field-crucial-for-uk-energy-security/ Equinor begins production at subsea oil field offshore Norway https://www.worldoil.com/news/2023/4/17/equinor-begins-production-at-subsea-oil-field-offshore-norway/ California City Can't Enforce Natural Gas Ban, Appeals Court Says https://pgjonline.com/news/2023/april/california-city-cant-enforce-natural-gas-ban-appeals-court-says Poland Sets Exclusion Zone Around Swinoujscie LNG Terminal https://pgjonline.com/news/2023/april/poland-sets-exclusion-zone-around-swinoujscie-lng-terminal Tennessee raises felony charge for ‘interfering' with oil and gas pipeline projects https://wpln.org/post/tennessee-raises-felony-charge-for-interfering-with-oil-and-gas-pipeline-projects/ Technip Energies awarded contract for Juhua's chemical complex in China https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/petrochemicals/17042023/technip-energies-awarded-contract-for-juhuas-chemical-complex-in-china/ Europe's extraordinary good fortune with winter weather https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/europes-extraordinary-good-fortune-with-winter-weather-kemp-2023-04-18/ BP Kicks Off Argos Platform Production in US Gulf of Mexico https://gcaptain.com/bp-kicks-off-argos-platform-production-in-us-gulf-of-mexico/ Boarded Tanker is Found https://www.rigzone.com/news/boarded_tanker_is_found-18-apr-2023-172559-article/   The Weekly Rig Count by Baker Hughes https://rigcount.bakerhughes.com/rig-count-overview  More from OGGN ...PodcastsLinkedIn GroupLinkedIn Company PageGet notified about industry events     Paige Wilson LinkedInMark LaCour Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

The OPEC+ oil cartel's surprise decision to cut oil production has the potential to cause all kinds of trouble for the global economy, and may increase geopolitical frictions between longtime allies – the US and Saudi Arabia. So what happens to US-Gulf ties when the desert kingdom turns off the tap?   Ray Suarez sits down with Jim Krane, author of “Energy Kingdoms: Oil and Political Survival in the Persian Gulf,” to unravel what these escalating tensions mean.   Guest:   Jim Krane, author of “Energy Kingdoms: Oil and Political Survival in the Persian Gulf”, journalist, and the Wallace S. Wilson Fellow for Energy Studies at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy in Houston.   Host:     Ray Suarez   If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

US Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 259, held at the end of March, was closely watched as the first oil and gas auction offered in that area since November 2021. And given that expectations weren't too high, the auction actually turned out quite well. It attracted 353 bids across 313 blocks and captured $264 million in apparent high bids – the highest total in six years. S&P Global Commodity Insights senior editor Starr Spencer spoke with George Laguros, a senior research analyst with S&P Global, about the some of the “surprising” results of the offshore lease sale and some interesting, if not unusual, bidding patterns pursued by some of the participants. Stick around after the interview for Binish Azhar with the Market Minute, a look at near-term oil market drivers.

The WTI Houston pipeline market price is directly connected to the waterborne WTI price at the US Gulf coast and international market factors. This has been highlighted as some importers diversify away from Russian crude and pipeline premiums rise. Recently high freight rates and shipping costs are weighing on the US pipeline-assessed prices in recent days, further demonstrating its connectedness to the global market. 

This podcast takes a deep dive into the minor bulk trade in the Americas, and touches on the shifting global grain trade including Asia-Pacific's increasing focus on South American grains over US Gulf coast and west coast North American suppliers. Shipbroking firm Pacific Rim's Kelle Horn speaks with Argus dry bulk freight reporter Ross Griffith about everything you ever wanted to know about the minor bulk trade in 2022, but were too afraid to ask.   Learn more about the Argus Freight Service

The asphalt US Gulf coast price levels changed during the Covid-19 pandemic, affecting Latin American demand. And the Russia-Ukraine conflict worsened the scenario, reducing material availability and increasing crude and oil products prices.   Join Josh Vence, Argus' Business Development Manager for Latin America, and Kauanna Navarro, journalist for the Argus Americas Asphalt report, as they discuss the dynamics of asphalt supply and demand in Latin America and around the world.  

In this episode, Amanda Smith, Argus Deputy editor Americas crude, and Scott Phillips, Argus Market reporter Americas crude, will discuss the US Gulf coast sweet-sour price spread and how that's tightened with the recent shift in US Strategic Petroleum Reserve sales to mostly sweet crude offerings from mostly sour as Libyan production returns to pre-blockade levels. 

Brought to you on the Oil and Gas Global Network, the largest and most listened to podcast network for the oil and energy industry. Don't forget to ask a question for our next First Friday Q&A. You ask the questions and we answer them. Have a question? Click here to ask. This week Mark and Paige cover  News Stories Governor Newsom is banning oil production in California as President Biden travels to the Middle East to ask other countries to send us more of their oil https://www.wspa.org/messagefromca/ New OPEC Secretary General Takes Office https://www.rigzone.com/news/new_opec_secretary_general_takes_office-02-aug-2022-169842-article/ Senator Sinema Key to Passing Schumer-Manchin Bill https://www.rigzone.com/news/senator_sinema_key_to_passing_schumermanchin_bill-03-aug-2022-169851-article/ NOCs, Not Big Oil, Are Responsible For Most Emissions https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/NOCs-Not-Big-Oil-Are-Responsible-For-Most-Emissions.html Chinese Top Battery Maker Halts N. American Plans After Pelosi Visit To Taiwan https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Chinese-Top-Battery-Maker-Halts-N-American-Plans-After-Pelosi-Visit-To-Taiwan.html Freeport LNG To Restart Most Production By October https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Freeport-LNG-To-Restart-Most-Production-By-October.html Hess makes oil discovery in US Gulf of Mexico https://www.upstreamonline.com/exploration/hess-makes-oil-discovery-in-us-gulf-of-mexico/2-1-1269639 High-Impact Exploration Up With Most Wells Expected Since 2019 https://www.rigzone.com/news/highimpact_exploration_up_with_most_wells_expected_since_2019-04-aug-2022-169858-article/ OPEC+ answers Biden's request for oil with ‘minuscule' output hike https://www.worldoil.com/news/2022/8/3/opec-answers-biden-s-request-for-oil-with-minuscule-output-hike/ Projects announced to expand Permian natural gas capacity https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/05082022/projects-announced-to-expand-permian-natural-gas-capacity/ U.S. Department of Energy announces $32 MM to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas sector https://www.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/news/2022/08/us-department-of-energy-announces-32-mm-to-reduce-methane-emissions-from-oil-and-gas-sector Inflation Reduction Act Methane Emissions Charge https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47206  Turkey Agrees To Pay For Russian Gas With Rubles https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Turkey-Agrees-To-Pay-For-Russian-Gas-With-Rubles.html The Weekly Rig Count https://rigcount.bakerhughes.com/rig-count-overview   The Weekly Rig Count by Baker Hughes https://rigcount.bakerhughes.com/rig-count-overview  More from OGGN …PodcastsLinkedIn GroupLinkedIn Company PageGet notified about industry events     Paige Wilson LinkedIn Mark LaCour Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

Brought to you on the Oil and Gas Global Network, the largest and most listened to podcast network for the oil and energy industry. Don't forget to ask a question for our next First Friday Q&A. You ask the questions and we answer them. Have a question? Click here to ask. This week Mark and Paige cover  News Stories Governor Newsom is banning oil production in California as President Biden travels to the Middle East to ask other countries to send us more of their oil https://www.wspa.org/messagefromca/ New OPEC Secretary General Takes Office https://www.rigzone.com/news/new_opec_secretary_general_takes_office-02-aug-2022-169842-article/ Senator Sinema Key to Passing Schumer-Manchin Bill https://www.rigzone.com/news/senator_sinema_key_to_passing_schumermanchin_bill-03-aug-2022-169851-article/ NOCs, Not Big Oil, Are Responsible For Most Emissions https://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/NOCs-Not-Big-Oil-Are-Responsible-For-Most-Emissions.html Chinese Top Battery Maker Halts N. American Plans After Pelosi Visit To Taiwan https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Chinese-Top-Battery-Maker-Halts-N-American-Plans-After-Pelosi-Visit-To-Taiwan.html Freeport LNG To Restart Most Production By October https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Freeport-LNG-To-Restart-Most-Production-By-October.html Hess makes oil discovery in US Gulf of Mexico https://www.upstreamonline.com/exploration/hess-makes-oil-discovery-in-us-gulf-of-mexico/2-1-1269639 High-Impact Exploration Up With Most Wells Expected Since 2019 https://www.rigzone.com/news/highimpact_exploration_up_with_most_wells_expected_since_2019-04-aug-2022-169858-article/ OPEC+ answers Biden's request for oil with ‘minuscule' output hike https://www.worldoil.com/news/2022/8/3/opec-answers-biden-s-request-for-oil-with-minuscule-output-hike/ Projects announced to expand Permian natural gas capacity https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/05082022/projects-announced-to-expand-permian-natural-gas-capacity/ U.S. Department of Energy announces $32 MM to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas sector https://www.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/news/2022/08/us-department-of-energy-announces-32-mm-to-reduce-methane-emissions-from-oil-and-gas-sector Inflation Reduction Act Methane Emissions Charge https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47206  Turkey Agrees To Pay For Russian Gas With Rubles https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Turkey-Agrees-To-Pay-For-Russian-Gas-With-Rubles.html The Weekly Rig Count https://rigcount.bakerhughes.com/rig-count-overview   The Weekly Rig Count by Baker Hughes https://rigcount.bakerhughes.com/rig-count-overview  More from OGGN ...PodcastsLinkedIn GroupLinkedIn Company PageGet notified about industry events     Paige Wilson LinkedInMark LaCour Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

As hurricane season 2022 unfolds in the US Gulf of Mexico, the implications for oil and gas infrastructure in the region are wide-ranging. More than ever, the whole world is watching the US Gulf as energy from the United States grow their presence in global markets. Americas gas news manager Joe Fisher sits down with natural gas editor Alan Lammey and oil editor Jordan Blum to discuss what the forecast says and what tropical activity could mean for natural gas, LNG and oil. This Commodities Focus podcast was produced by Jennifer Pedrick in Houston.

St James, Louisiana, was once the gateway for imported and domestic crude into midcontinent markets. However, as shale production, pipeline reversals and legislation have changed to allow US crude exports, the role of the old hub has changed. St James still has extensive blending operations with service to major US Gulf coast refining capacity, but it is now set to better compete in the US export market.   Learn more about the Argus Crude report

Join Argus VP of business development Jeff Kralowetz and Americas crude editor Gus Vasquez for this podcast on the rapid rise of the WCS Houston price assessment as a benchmark for sour crude throughout the Western Hemisphere, and beyond.  The podcast looks at rising Canadian oil sands production, increased pipeline capacity to the Gulf coast, and the potential for growing competition between Padd 2 (US Midcontinent) and Padd 3 (US Gulf coast) refiners for Canadian crude. It also provides updates on the potential for increased re-exports of Canadian heavy crude from the Gulf coast to Asia, and the possible impacts of the TMX project in western Canada and closure or change of ownership at Lyondell's Houston refinery. Learn more about the Argus Crude report.    

Amb. Gerald Feierstein, Bilal Saab, and Karen Young join guest host Brian Katulis to discuss their recent MEI policy paper, US-Gulf Relations at the Crossroads: Time for a Recalibration, and why they believe now is not the time to disengage from the region. Read the paper here: https://www.mei.edu/publications/us-gulf-relations-crossroads-time-recalibration

Today's guests are Steven Henderson, Co-Founder & CEO, and Mike Carter, Co-Founder & COO of Fleetzero.Fleetzero is building battery-electric cargo ships that operate with 5X higher net margins than fossil fuel ships. The startup's increasing the efficiency of existing diesel ships by converting them to battery-electric while pioneering innovation with the MVE7 - an electric ship designed for trans-pacific cargo delivery. Fleetzero'sbattery technology is the only pathway to decarbonizing the $1.3 trillion shipping industry without a green premium. Steven is a marine engineer by background and has managed a wide range of businesses and operations in the marine environment, including cargo ships, a hospital ship, and one of the largest offshore facilities in the US Gulf of Mexico. He has a bachelor's of science in Marine Engineering Systems from the US Merchant Marine Academy and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Steven served in the US Navy Reserve as a Strategic Sealift Officer.Mike is a marine engineer and enterprise sales professional. He graduated from the US Merchant Marine Academy with a BS in Marine Engineering Systems and received an MBA from Rice. Mike brings expertise in marine engineering, ship operations, and significant business experience in energy and shipping. He is also proud to have served as an officer in the US Navy Reserve.In the episode, Mike and Steven walk me through Fleetzero's unique solution, why the ships are challenging to decarbonize, and what let them to found the startup. We also discuss why battery swapping is a viable solution, Fleetzero's funding to date, and the company's customer base. This is a fantastic episode for those looking to learn more about decarbonizing the shipping industry.Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@mcjcollective.com, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded March 11th, 2022To learn more about Fleetzero, visit: https://www.fleetzero.com/To learn more about this episode, visit: https://mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/fleetzero

Hatim El-Hibri of George Mason University joins Marc Lynch on this week's podcast to discuss his new book, Visions of Beirut: The Urban Life of Media Infrastructure. In the book, El-Hibri analyzes how the creation and circulation of images have shaped the urban spaces and cultural imaginaries of Beirut. (Starts at 0:44). Kevin Koehler of Leiden University discusses his latest article, "Who fakes support for the military? Experimental evidence from Tunisia" (co-authored with Sharan Grewal and Holger Albrecht) published in Democratization. (Starts at 33:58). Kristian Coates Ulrichsen of the Baker Institute on the ongoing tensions between the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. (Starts at 48:58). Music for this season's podcast was created by Bashir Saade (playing Ney) and Farah Kaddour (on Buzuq). You can find more of Bashir's work on his YouTube Channel.

Today on the podcast, lets tackle grief together to support our crewmates. Over 50 years ago, Winston Rice stepped on board a drilling rig in the US Gulf of Mexico. This experience ignited his passion for the maritime and offshore energy industries. Today, you can call him Chaplain or Father Winston Rice, serving those who […] The post Grief Onboard, Episode 40 appeared first on Women Offshore. Related posts: Raising the Profile of Women on the Water, Episode 42 A Pledge to Change an Industry, Episode 35 Happy New Year, Episode 32 2019 UNITE Conference Recap, Episode 15