Oil Tanker with Iraqi Oil Passes Through
Omani, French, and Japanese Ships Follow Suit
Iranian Military Keeps Operational Details Concealed
Experts Suggest High Oil Prices Will Persist Until Full Reopening, “A partial reopening signal has been detected as some ships are allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively blocked. However, this is being done by recognizing exceptions for countries, including friendly ones, and is considered far from a full normalization of passage.”,
“According to Bloomberg News on the 5th (local time), the oil tanker ‘Suezmax Ocean Thunder,’ carrying Iraqi crude oil, is passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This was confirmed shortly after Iran announced that it would allow passage for Iraqi ships, which it considers ‘brother nations’.”,
Based on ship tracking data, this vessel loaded approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil at Basra, Iraq, in March, heading to Malaysia. Malaysia is also a country that has received passage approval from Iran. The vessel moved through a narrow northern route between Larak Island and Qeshm Island, which appears to be an approved passageway by Iranian authorities.
However, the method of passage remains unclear. While Iran’s military stated that they would make exceptions for Iraq, they have not disclosed specific operational details. Some of these ships have also turned off their tracking signals, making it difficult to obtain accurate operational status.
As the blockade of the strait continues, more passage cases are reported. Recently, three oil tankers operated by Oman, a French container ship, and a Japanese LNG carrier are said to have passed through the strait. Previously, ships from China, India, and Turkey, which are considered friendly nations to Iran, also transited the strait.
On the 3rd of this month, the Japanese LNG carrier ‘Soha LNG,’ owned by Mitsui, passed through the strait, marking the first Japanese-related vessel to exit the strait since the Iran conflict. The Asahi Shimbun reported that Japanese Transport Minister Yasushi Kaneko noted 45 Japanese ships were held in the strait as of the morning of the 3rd, suggesting this was one of the ships that passed through subsequently.
Arab media outlet Al Jazeera noted that Iran has effectively implemented a ‘toll’ system guaranteeing strait passage rights, leading to a slight increase in maritime traffic. Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported that last week’s strait passage count was 53, a 1.5-fold increase from the previous week’s 36 and the highest since the conflict began.
As U.S. President Donald Trump raises pressure to attack Iranian infrastructure, international oil prices have surpassed $110. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oil prices, traded at $110.66 at around 10 a.m. on the 6th (Korean time), up 1.5% from the previous trading day. Many market analysts expect oil prices to rise further unless the Strait of Hormuz reopens promptly, Al Jazeera noted.