Oil Tanker Transits Hormuz Strait Again, Iran Says Waterway Only Closed to ‘Enemy’

BlockBeats News, March 16th, according to ship tracking data, a supertanker named "Karachi" has successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz and is currently heading towards Pakistan. This is one of the few tankers that have successfully left the Persian Gulf since the US attacked Iran.

Data shows that the tanker is controlled by the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, and it completed its passage through a channel near the Iranian coast last Sunday, and is now appearing near Sohar. Recently, ships passing through the strait have generally chosen to sail close to the Iranian side to reduce risks.

Due to the escalation of regional conflicts, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transportation route accounting for about 20%, was once close to a standstill, and countries are closely watching for any resumption of shipping. Meanwhile, some countries have negotiated passage arrangements with Tehran, such as India obtaining permission to allow two LPG tankers to pass through the strait.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the Strait of Hormuz is not completely closed but is "only closed to ships from hostile countries." Iran's new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, stated that Tehran will still retain the strategic leverage of "closing the strait."

As the current Middle East conflict enters its third week, the risks of strait shipping continue to rise. Trump has called for multiple countries to send warships to escort merchant ships to restore the waterway, but allies like Japan have not yet indicated their participation. Industry insiders believe that even if the situation eases, full restoration of strait shipping may still take several weeks.