A Chinese tanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi oil is attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
Ship tracking data showed on Wednesday that a giant Chinese oil tanker carrying about two million barrels of Iraqi crude was attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, a move that reflects the continued flow of Iraqi oil exports despite escalating security tensions in the region.
According to data from ship tracking company LSEG and the Kpler platform, the giant oil tanker “Yuan Hua Hu” passed Iran’s Larak Island and headed south through the strait, after being stuck in the Gulf since the beginning of March.
The tanker had loaded its cargo of Basra Medium crude from the port of Basra and is currently heading towards Asian markets. It is owned and managed by a unit of the Chinese company COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation, while the shipment was licensed by Unipec, the trading arm of Sinopec.
This attempt marks the third known passage of a Chinese oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz since military tensions escalated between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other on February 28, according to available tracking data.
Reports also indicated that Iran has strengthened its influence in the Strait in recent days through understandings related to oil and gas shipments with Iraq and Pakistan, amid global concerns about any disruption that could threaten the movement of energy supplies through the vital waterway.
This comes as Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that US forces imposing a naval blockade on Iran prevented a Greek ship carrying about two million barrels of Iraqi oil from continuing its journey to Vietnam for “unknown” reasons, while the Vietnamese government appealed to the United States to allow the oil shipment to proceed.
According to Bloomberg, the giant oil tanker Agios Phanourios 1, operated by Athens-based Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, made a sudden turn at sea on Monday near the point where the US blockade begins.
The tanker had passed through the Strait of Hormuz carrying 1.99 million barrels of Iraqi Basra Medium crude when it turned back, according to ship tracking data and documents seen by Bloomberg.
PetroVietnam Oil, the trading arm of the state-owned energy company, confirmed to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command that the cargo aboard the Agios Phanourios 1 belongs to them and was loaded in Iraq, according to a letter seen by Bloomberg. The tanker still indicates its destination as Nghi Son, home to one of the refineries in the Asian nation.
Shafaq.com