Japan’s Mitsui OSK Tankers Escape Hormuz In Convoy Via Route Near Iran

A group of commercial ships operated by Japanese shipping giant Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd. are sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz via an Iran-approved route in a convoy to prevent being attacked by the IRGC.

According to ship-tracking and maritime database records, at least eight vessels are moving together to exit the volatile waterway.

The fleet consists of five supertankers, each capable of transporting up to 2 million barrels of crude oil, alongside two chemical tankers and a vehicle carrier.

The movement comes after many ships aborted individual attempts over the weekend to cross via a U.S.-managed route running along the Oman coast.

The ships then altered their route and moved closer to the Iranian coast since the Islamic Republic warned vessels to use only designated routes to cross the strategic waterway or risk being attacked by the Iranian forces.

Ships have also been instructed to get prior permission from Iranian authorities to cross the Strait.

The departure of these vessels is an important milestone in clearing the maritime logjam in the Persian Gulf.

If these ships make it out of the Strait, the number of supertankers trapped in the region would be reduced to just a handful.

Energy markets are keeping a close eye on the situation, which continues to remain uncertain after Iran attacked two commercial vessels in the Strait, and Trump warned Iran against renewing military action.

Oil prices, which had dipped, have risen again after the latest attacks and tanker operators remain worried.

Tokyo has engaged in extensive diplomatic lobbying with Iranian counterparts throughout the conflict to guarantee unhindered transit since it depends on imports of energy supplies.

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) had stated that it would not resume operations through the strait without absolute confirmation of safety, noting that intense coordination with insurance providers and international governments was necessary.

MOL Chairman Takeshi Hashimoto had also indicated that the company, along with other shipowners, had requested government intervention to help extricate their stranded ships safely.