Korean Media: South Korean Shipping Company's Oil Tanker Closed Tracking System to Safely Pass Through Strait of Hormuz — No South Korean Crew Members Aboard

It has been reported that at the beginning of this month, a very large crude oil carrier (VLCC) belonging to South Korea’s Changjin Merchant Marine closed its tracking system and safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz, which is blockaded by Iran. Upon confirmation, there were no South Korean crew members on board.

On the 11th local time, Reuters cited maritime data from Kpler and the London Stock Exchange Group, reporting that three oil tankers have recently confirmed turning off their location trackers and departed the Strait of Hormuz, including Changjin Merchant Marine’s VLCC "Basrah Energy."

The "Basrah Energy" loaded 2 million barrels of crude oil at the Zirku oil export terminal operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 1st; passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 6th; and discharged its cargo at the Fujairah oil terminal outside the Strait of Hormuz in the UAE on the 8th. According to South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, this vessel is leased by Changjin Merchant Marine to another company and is not included among the 26 South Korean-affiliated vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz under government control. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that no South Korean crew members were onboard.

In addition to Changjin Merchant Marine’s oil tanker, two other VLCCs — "Agios Fanourios I" and "Kiara M" — also each loaded 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil and successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 10th. Agios Fanourios I was originally scheduled to unload its cargo at Vietnam’s Yishan Refinery on the 26th. However, after loading Iraqi crude oil on April 17th, it attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz at least twice but failed each time — until now, when it finally succeeded. Kiara M, registered under San Marino, currently has an unknown destination. The vessel is owned by a Marshall Islands-registered company managed by a Shanghai-based firm in China.

Reuters reported on the fact that these three oil tankers successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, commenting that efforts to maintain the flow of Middle Eastern oil exports are increasing.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864967349513228/

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