Governments in the Global South are among the least prepared to respond to the oil shock caused by the Iran war. As the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz drives the worst energy crunch in modern history, leading governments to scramble to unload their emergency oil stockpiles, developing countries are among the least prepared to mitigate the shock. Although surging fuel prices due to the fallout of the US-Israel war on Iran have impacted most of the world, import-reliant poorer countries are among the worst affected and the most lacking in energy reserves to cushion the blow.
BOAT is a passive fund tracking the Solactive Global Shipping Index, holding 52 maritime shipping companies including Frontline, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, and Matson. It charges a 0.69% expense ratio and manages a slim $78.6 million in assets. The distribution is a pass-through of whatever cash its underlying tanker, dry-bulk, and container operators pay out each quarter. There is no options overlay and no leverage. When freight rates rip, the holdings earn outsized cash and most distribute it. When rates fall, the payout falls with them.
Washington floated a 14-point proposal earlier this week, which requires Iran to end its nuclear programme for at least 12 years and open the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global crude oil and gas passes. The US proposal includes lifting the decades-long sanctions. The Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear programme have emerged as the biggest sticking points in the talks initiated after a ceasefire came into effect on April 8.
The official narrative in these countries is that this economic crisis will be like covid, and climbing out of it will be quick. But there are structural breaks that cannot be easily undone. Both the oil and non-oil sectors are getting hit equally hard and are facing damage that is potentially long term.
As a matter of clarification, something that was said earlier, Abby, was that the Gulf partners, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman were frustrated with the war and wanted it to stop, Rothman said. That's I didn't. Nobody said that, Phillip said, jumping in. As Rothman continued, Phillip stopped him to make her point clear. Nobody said that, she said. Well, let's say what actually happened then, Rothman replied. Just to be clear, don't dispute something that nobody said at this table, Phillip said.
For more than two months, there have hardly been any merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing blockade. Africa is being hit by the full brunt of the conflict in the Middle East, with canceled flights, long lines at petrol stations, and barren fields across the continent. Left without access to a significant portion of their global supply chain, fertilizer industries have also been deeply affected by the crisis.
For more than two months, there have hardly been any merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing blockade. Africa is being hit by the full brunt of the situation in the Middle East, with canceled flights, long lines at petrol stations, and barren fields across the continent. Left without access to a significant portion of their global supply chain, fertilizer industries have also been deeply affected by the crisis.
For oil and gas importing countries, especially the poorest ones, it means suffering. It also means hardship for Persian Gulf exporters, accustomed to abundance, who are now seeing their sales channels cut off. And it means a windfall for fossil fuel powers outside the region, who are able to selland at much higher priceseverything they extract from the ground.
Here's what Iran sees after being warned not to. They hit UAE and fired on a U.S. ship, and we didn't respond. Instead, we suspended the Strait of Hormuz mission. They take that as weakness. They don't think Trump is willing to bomb them again. They think they have leverage. He needs to prove them wrong.
