A third Turkish-owned tanker has safely passed through the Iran-closed Strait of Hormuz, reducing the number of Turkish vessels awaiting exit in the tense region.
ISTANBUL: A third Turkish-owned ship has successfully crossed the war-torn Strait of Hormuz, according to Turkey’s Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu.
Minister Uraloglu announced on Monday that the crude oil tanker ‘Ocean Thunder’ safely navigated the strait on Sunday night while en route from Iraq to Malaysia.
The vessel had loaded its cargo at the port of Basra in Iraq, according to global ship tracking data from Marine Traffic.
This passage follows the safe exit of two other Turkish-owned ships over the weekend, amidst an ongoing regional closure of the critical waterway.
Iran sealed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global chokepoint for oil shipments, following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
“The number of Turkish-owned vessels in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz has decreased to 12, and the number of vessels requesting exit has decreased to eight,” stated Minister Uraloglu on social media platform X.
He confirmed that efforts are continuing to ensure the safe transfer of the eight remaining ships wishing to depart the region, along with the 156 personnel serving on those vessels.
The closure of the strait has contributed to a significant surge in global oil and gas prices since the conflict began.
