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Sri Lanka and India are providing sanctuary to 434 sailors from three Iranian naval vessels targeted or threatened by the US, a diplomatic conundrum as the war spills into the Indian Ocean.The ships had taken part in a naval exercise organised by India off the coast of Visakhapatnam, when the US and Israel began bombing Iran.For Sri Lanka and India, wary of a US response, the dilemma of what to do with the ships and crew has sent legal officials scouring conventions and the laws of the sea.IRIS Dena, a frigate, was sunk with a torpedo fired by a US submarine on Wednesday, just outside Sri Lanka's territorial waters. Between 130 and 180 sailors were on board, and at least 84 were killed.Sri Lanka rescued 32 survivors, many since discharged from hospital to be hosted at the Koggala air force base in the island's south.IRIS Lavan, an amphibious landing ship, docked in India's southern port of Kochi on Wednesday. It had 183 sailors aboard, now hosted in naval facilities.IRIS Bushehr, a supply vessel, entered Sri Lankan waters on Thursday, carrying 219 crew members.Among those, 15 remain onboard to assist Sri Lanka's navy, which has taken full control of the vessel. The total of Iranian sailors hosted by Sri Lanka is currently 251.The two South Asian nations have not taken sides in the Middle East war and have justified their decision to host the Iranian sailors on humanitarian grounds."Our approach is that every life is as precious as our own," Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in a statement.Sri Lanka maintains close ties with the US, its biggest export market, and Iran, a key buyer of tea, Sri Lanka's main export commodity.Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar spoke in parliament in New Delhi Monday about the sailors."We believe that this was the right thing to do and the Iranian Foreign Minister has expressed his country's thanks for this humane gesture," Jaishankar said.Media reports suggested Washington was pressing Sri Lanka not to repatriate the Iranians.But a US State Department spokesperson said their fate was up to Colombo."The US, of course, respects and recognises Sri Lanka's sovereignty in the handling of this situation," the spokesperson told AFP in Washington.What happens now? Sri Lanka is keeping the sailors from the two vessels apart because separate international conventions apply.International humanitarian law applies to the 32 survivors of the first vessel, the sunken IRIS Dena. That means they could be repatriated if they wish.But the second vessel, IRIS Bushehr and its 219 sailors, falls under the 1907 Hague Convention on the rights and duties of a neutral power, a senior administration official told AFP.That requires Sri Lanka to hold those sailors and their vessel until the end of hostilities. They are being held in a naval base, just north of Colombo."The two groups need to be treated differently under our treaty obligations," the official said, asking not to be named, saying Sri Lanka has asked the International Committee of the Red Cross for help.Colombo would follow the Hague Convention, the official added, noting it says that "a neutral power which receives on its territory troops belonging to the belligerent armies shall intern them".But the 84 bodies recovered from the IRIS Dena will be sent back to Iran once logistics are possible, the government has said.Sri Lankan officials said India was also likely to treat the IRIS Lavan and its crew the same way as Colombo will deal with the IRIS Bushehr.But India, for its part, has not publicly addressed the fate or status of its Iranian guests. 

Mwani Qatar reported handling over 1.11 million containers in the first nine months of 2025, marking a year-on-year growth of approximately 2 percent compared to the same period last year. This strong performance highlights the company's pivotal role in supporting the national economy. Mwani Qatar shared on X today that it received 2,276 vessels during the first nine months of 2025. This included the handling of over 1.34 million tons of general and bulk cargo, 91,266 vehicles and equipment units, 403,868 heads of livestock, and 488,069 tons of building materials.

Qatar's maritime sector saw higher vessels traffic through its Hamad, Doha and Al Ruwais ports in August 2025, translating into robust expansion across containers, cargoes and building materials on both yearly and monthly basis, according to the official statistics.The increased maritime activities is indicative of the strong performance, especially of the non-hydrocarbons private sector and is in line with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030, as Mwani Qatar continues to implement its ambitious strategy to enhance the sector's contribution to diversifying the economy and strengthening the county's position as a regional trade hub.As many as 290 ships had called on Qatar's three ports in August 2025, which was higher by 21.85% and 8.21% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively.Hamad Port, whose strategic geographical location offers opportunities to create cargo movement towards the upper Gulf, supporting countries such as Kuwait and Iraq and south towards Oman, saw as many as 165 vessels call (excluding military) on the port in the review period. The three ports had seen a total of 2,045 vessels in the first eight months of this year.The general and bulk cargo handled through the three ports amounted to 254,528 freight tonnes in August 2025, which zoomed 129.25% and 8.58% on yearly and monthly basis respectively.Hamad Port – whose multi-use terminal is designed to serve the supply chains for the RORO, grains and livestock – handled as much as 108,026 freight tonnes of bulk and 120,710 freight tonnes of breakbulk in August this year. The three ports together handled as much as 1.3mn cargoes in January-August 2025.The container movement through three ports amounted to 126,481 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which surged 10.07% and 8.13% year-on-year and month-on-month respectively in the review period.Hamad Port, the largest eco-friendly project in the region and internationally recognised as one of the largest green ports in the world, alone handled 124,757 TEUs of containers handled this August. The three ports together handled a total of 986,240 TEUs of containers during January-August 2025.The container terminals have been designed to address the increasing trade volume, enhancing ease of doing business as well as supporting the achievement of economic diversification, which is one of the most important goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.The building materials traffic through the three ports stood at 72,535 tonnes in August 2025, which zoomed 453.7% and 37.7% on an annualised and monthly basis respectively. The three ports together handled as much as 451,190 tonnes of building materials during the first eight months of this year.The three ports were seen handling 20,002 livestock heads in August 2025, which however showed 16.68% and 29.2% plunge year-on-year and month-on-month respectively. The ports had handled as many as 399,987 livestock heads during January-August 2025.The three ports handled 9,254 RORO in August 2025, which registered 14.35% and 27.69% contraction year-on-year and month-on-month respectively. Hamad Port alone handled 9,224 units in the review period. The three ports together handled as many as 78,869 units in the first eight months of this year.Qatar's automobile sector has been witnessing stronger sales, notably in heavy equipment, private motorcycles and private vehicles, according to the data of the National Planning Council.

QatarEnergy continues to grow its LNG portfolio by expanding production capacity while reducing carbon intensity.Putting sustainability into practice, QatarEnergy continues to invest in advanced LNG vessels. The energy major has already ordered a fleet of 128 new LNG vessels, designed with the latest technologies, QatarEnergy noted in its 2024 Sustainability Report.“We aim to achieve a capacity of 160 MTPY post-2030, solidifying our role as a major provider of cleaner energy solutions globally. This capacity target includes the North Field West Expansion Project announced by QatarEnergy in 2024,” QatarEnergy noted.Advanced energy-efficient technologies and carbon capture systems are being integrated into new LNG facilities, alongside ongoing improvements in existing operations to reduce emissions and flaring.As part of QatarEnergy’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of its operations, it has taken a significant step forward by ordering a fleet of 128 new LNG vessels, designed with the latest technologies that will enhance operational efficiency while minimising environmental impacts.The new fleet will be equipped with highly efficient dual-fuel engines, advanced hull designs, and underwater coatings to reduce resistance, optimise fuel consumption, and significantly decrease emissions.The new LNG vessels will feature dual-fuel engines, enabling them to operate on both LNG and conventional marine fuels. This flexibility allows for a significant reduction in GHG emissions compared to traditional fuel sources. LNG, being a cleaner alternative, helps lower CO2 emissions, while the vessels’ efficient engine systems minimise NOx and SOx emissions.Additionally, the advanced hull design and underwater coatings will reduce drag and resistance, enabling smoother voyages with less fuel consumption and, consequently, fewer emissions.Another standout feature of these vessels is the air lubrication system. This technology creates a thin layer of bubbles beneath the hull, effectively reducing friction between the vessel and the water, which in turn lowers fuel consumption and further reduces emissions.“By optimising fuel efficiency through this cutting-edge technology, the new LNG vessels will not only help to reduce the operational carbon footprint but also enhance fuel savings,” QatarEnergy noted.

QatarEnergy continues to grow its LNG portfolio by expanding production capacity while reducing carbon intensity.Putting sustainability into practice, QatarEnergy continues to invest in advanced LNG vessels. The energy major has already ordered a fleet of 128 new LNG vessels, designed with the latest technologies, QatarEnergy noted in its 2024 Sustainability Report.“We aim to achieve a capacity of 160 MTPY post-2030, solidifying our role as a major provider of cleaner energy solutions globally. This capacity target includes the North Field West Expansion Project announced by QatarEnergy in 2024,” QatarEnergy noted.Advanced energy-efficient technologies and carbon capture systems are being integrated into new LNG facilities, alongside ongoing improvements in existing operations to reduce emissions and flaring.As part of QatarEnergy’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of its operations, it has taken a significant step forward by ordering a fleet of 128 new LNG vessels, designed with the latest technologies that will enhance operational efficiency while minimising environmental impacts.The new fleet will be equipped with highly efficient dual-fuel engines, advanced hull designs, and underwater coatings to reduce resistance, optimise fuel consumption, and significantly decrease emissions.The new LNG vessels will feature dual-fuel engines, enabling them to operate on both LNG and conventional marine fuels. This flexibility allows for a significant reduction in GHG emissions compared to traditional fuel sources. LNG, being a cleaner alternative, helps lower CO2 emissions, while the vessels’ efficient engine systems minimise NOx and SOx emissions.Additionally, the advanced hull design and underwater coatings will reduce drag and resistance, enabling smoother voyages with less fuel consumption and, consequently, fewer emissions.Another standout feature of these vessels is the air lubrication system. This technology creates a thin layer of bubbles beneath the hull, effectively reducing friction between the vessel and the water, which in turn lowers fuel consumption and further reduces emissions.“By optimising fuel efficiency through this cutting-edge technology, the new LNG vessels will not only help to reduce the operational carbon footprint but also enhance fuel savings,” QatarEnergy noted.