June 29, 2026 [Reuters]- Middle East producers are pushing ahead with loading ​oil and liquefied natural gas despite fresh ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed strikes between the U.S. and ‌Iran in recent days, shipping data showed.

Energy shipping in the strait slowed after attacks on a container ship on Thursday and an oil tanker on Saturday sparked fresh tit-for-tat strikes, straining Washington and Iran’s interim peace deal.

But on Sunday, a U.S. official said the two countries had agreed to halt recent hostilities and renew talks over the strategically important waterway.

On Monday, a fourth ​Very Large Crude Carrier, capable of carrying 2 million barrels of oil, was seen loading at Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura terminal, LSEG data ​showed, even after a helicopter belonging to the company crashed on Sunday, killing 14 people. The cause of the crash ⁠was unknown.

Three other VLCCs have loaded oil and gone dark since leaving the terminal over the weekend, according to the data. Going dark refers to ​vessels with their transponders switched off to reduce the risk of attack while sailing through the Gulf.

One of these supertankers emerged on Monday, having exited the ​strait, and is now heading for Japan, the data showed.

Two VLCCs entered the strait on Sunday and have docked at a United Arab Emirates terminal to load crude, LSEG data showed.

Saudi Aramco declined to comment.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Co said the company does not comment on the position, movements and routing of its vessels as a matter of ​policy.

IRAN ACCELERATES OIL LOADINGS

Iran is also accelerating oil loadings after Washington waived sanctions on its exports for 60 days.

Tehran loaded simultaneously at both of its ​export terminals at Kharg Island on Saturday for the first time in nearly a week, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward.

Kpler data showed Iranian-flagged VLCCs Dan and Hawk, entered ‌the strait ⁠on Saturday, while about 8 million barrels of Emirati and Qatari crude moved out on four VLCCs during the weekend. The National Iranian Oil Co could not be immediately reached for comment.

Rising exports from the Gulf, a region that accounts for a third of the world’s oil supplies, are sending global oil prices lower, with Brent down 10.6% last week, its third weekly decline, although the fresh weekend strikes lifted prices on Monday.

“If you take the view that ​the Strait will continue with an uneven ​re-opening in the weeks and ⁠months ahead, then crude oil right here is reasonably priced with a downward bias,” said IG markets analyst Tony Sycamore.

“However, if you feel the risks are that one of these weekend flare-ups leads to the conflict re-igniting more broadly ​then crude oil prices here are just way too cheap.”

QATAR, UAE CONTINUE LNG EXPORTS

On liquefied natural gas, two ​additional ballast tankers appeared ⁠on ship-tracking data in the west of the strait on June 26 after going dark, while two other loaded LNG tankers have exited Hormuz.

The Al Kharaitiyat is heading to Kuwait after loading at Qatar’s Ras Laffan terminal while another QatarEnergy-controlled vessel, the Al Kharsaah, is waiting off Qatar, Kpler ship-tracking data showed.

Meanwhile, the ADNOC-controlled ⁠Mraweh, which loaded at UAE’s ​Das Island on June 21, is scheduled to deliver its cargo to the Dahej terminal ​on India’s west coast on July 5, according to Kpler data. Al Hamla, controlled by QatarEnergy, transporting a cargo loaded at Ras Laffan on June 18, is scheduled to reach China on ​July 3, LSEG and Kpler data showed.