Three Tankers Successfully Pass Through the Strait of Hormuz, Carrying 6 Million Barrels of Oil to Asia

On Wednesday, three super tankers successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, carrying oil destined for export to Asia.

According to Reuters, these tankers carried 6 million barrels of Middle Eastern crude oil, having been delayed in the Gulf for over two months.

Based on data from LSEG and Kpler, another tanker is currently entering the Strait of Hormuz, increasing the number of tankers that have successfully transited the strait.

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has been ongoing since February 28, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz being a key part of Iran's efforts to pressure the US and Israel.

According to the latest shipping data, a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) flagged in South Korea, the Universal Winner, has exited the Strait of Hormuz after two Chinese tankers departed on Wednesday.

The vessel is carrying 2 million barrels of Kuwaiti crude oil loaded on March 4, and is headed to Ulsan, the location of South Korea's largest oil refinery, owned by SK Energy, where it is scheduled to unload its cargo on June 9.

SK Energy declined to comment, while the spokesperson for HMM, the owner and operator of the Universal Winner, could not be reached for comment.

On average, approximately 125 to 140 vessels transit the Strait of Hormuz daily, with around 10 ships entering and exiting the strait carrying cargo, chemicals, and petroleum products.

According to the Combined Maritime Information Center, around 10 vessels have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours, including small cargo ships and chemical tankers entering the Gulf.

Despite this, navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is still considered highly risky due to ongoing aggressive actions by Iran.

"The operating environment remains high-risk due to recent attacks on ships in the area. Several instances of aggressive hailings and actions by Iranian units have been reported in the last 48 hours," said the Combined Maritime Information Center, led by the US Navy.