HK Stock Market Move | COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation (01138) falls over 5% again; industry expects limited actual impact from lifting of shadow fleet restrictions.

COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation (01138) fell more than 5% again. As of press time, it was down 4.78% at HK$17.15, with a turnover of HK$128 million. On the news front, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration is authorizing the sale of some sanctioned tankers, planning to allow these vessels to return to legal operation through refurbishment and approval procedures to transport unsanctioned crude oil. The U.S. hopes to expand the available tanker fleet and ease transport disruptions caused by the Iran war and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. Guotai Haitong released a research report stating that the industry expects the actual impact of a potential lifting of oil shipping restrictions to be relatively limited. The bank noted that the shadow fleet consists mainly of old vessels aged over 20 years that should have been scrapped; even if restrictions are lifted, it would be difficult for them to return to serving major oil companies and long-haul routes. The shadow fleet has long been detached from Europe's mainstream insurance and settlement systems, making it difficult to reintegrate. The U.S.-Iran conflict has not yet ended, and there is high uncertainty over whether the lifting of sanctions can be sustained; charterers may worry about the risk of sanctions being reimposed and retroactive penetration.