Supertanker Carrying Iraqi Crude To Vietnam Resumes Voyage After US Navy Hold-Up Near Hormuz

A supertanker carrying Iraqi crude oil to Vietnam has resumed its journey after being delayed for five days in the Gulf of Oman following intervention by the US Navy during enforcement operations linked to a naval blockade against Iran.

The Malta-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), Agios Fanourios I, is now continuing its voyage to Vietnam’s Nghi Son refinery.

According to LSEG shipping data, the vessel is expected to arrive on May 30 with around 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil.

The delay adds to ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz region, a key global oil shipping route, where naval tensions involving the United States and Iran continue to affect tanker movements.

The Agios Fanourios I sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz on May 10 and entered the Gulf of Oman before abruptly turning back on May 11, according to ship-tracking data.

Ship-tracking data showed the tanker remained in the Gulf of Oman for five days before resuming its journey on May 16 toward Vietnam.

US Central Command said last week the tanker had been redirected as part of ongoing enforcement of the US blockade targeting Iranian shipping activity.

By early Sunday, the fully laden VLCC had sailed beyond the maritime boundary line where US naval forces are enforcing the blockade, according to ship-tracking data cited by Bloomberg.

The cargo is being delivered to PetroVietnam Oil Corp., the trading arm of Vietnam’s national energy company.

The company wrote to US authorities asking for the tanker’s release, saying the shipment is important for the Nghi Son refinery.

It warned that any further delay could stop refinery operations and affect fuel supply for consumers, businesses, public services, and industries in Vietnam.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains below normal levels, even though there has been a small increase recently.

The route is one of the most important oil transit chokepoints in the world, and disruptions there affect global energy trade.

The situation continues alongside tensions involving US and Iranian forces in the region, with ongoing naval enforcement operations affecting commercial tanker movements.

The development also follows a recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where both sides agreed the Strait of Hormuz should remain open, but no major progress was made on ensuring stability.

Despite that discussion, tanker traffic through the waterway remains unstable, and shipping companies continue to face uncertainty in the region.

References: Bloomberg, Reuters