Jenny Gross

Iran is trying to assert its control over the strait by charging for passage. Experts say it is unlikely to happen, but the threat has unsettled the shipping industry.

A humpback that became stuck in the Baltic seemed to unite a nation in hope. Rescue efforts followed, and then finger-pointing.

A maritime tracking company said the move was likely performative, given the Chinese-owned ship has an “established history within the Iranian trade ecosystem.”

A flaming crater of gas has burned in Turkmenistan for decades. Satellite imagery suggests that the fires are decreasing, but the environmental implications are unclear.

The humpback whale, stuck for weeks in shallow waters off Germany, was towed to the North Sea in a barge. The story captivated the country.

Liquefied natural gas transit has been effectively halted. A ship managed by Abu Dhabi’s state oil company managed to cross, said Kpler, a maritime data firm.

Controllers for shipping companies face a daunting decision as they try to free vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf: “Basically you’re sending someone unarmed into war.”

Few vessels are crossing after Iran reversed course on reopening the vital waterway and ships came under attack.

Statements from President Trump and Iran aimed to raise confidence in the safety of the waterway, but shipping experts said risks remained.

In an unexpected breakthrough, the 40-foot mammal swam to deeper water on Friday morning through a channel that rescuers had dug for it.