This marks the fourth transit of a Greek-owned tanker through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war, according to Bloomberg.

A Greek company-operated oil tanker has passed through the Strait of Hormuz for the fourth time since the start of the conflict in the Middle East. The Suezmax oil tanker Pola,(IMO 9493767, MMSI 636015014 - sailing under the flag of Liberia. ) which had switched off its tracking system in the Persian Gulf on 10 March, was spotted on Monday via the Automatic Identification System (AIS). According to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, the vessel was sailing in the eastern Indian Ocean near the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island.

The tanker carrying almost one million barrels of crude oil

The tanker's return suggests that it has successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route that has experienced a significant decrease in commercial traffic since the United States and Israel initiated military operations against Iran. According to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and the intelligence firm Kpler, a tanker carrying almost one million barrels of crude oil has been operating in the eastern Indian Ocean, near the sea lanes off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia.

Secured bilateral agreements

Several Asian countries, including Thailand, have secured bilateral agreements that allow some oil tankers and cargo ships to pass through the strategic waterway, despite Iran's ongoing blocking of ships it labels as "enemies". Since the strait's de facto closure, the Pula, the fourth vessel operated by Dynacom Tankers Management, has been transiting the Strait of Hormuz with its transponder switched off. 

Related : Report : Of the over a thousand ships trapped in the Persian Gulf, 7 have been released in recent days.

Related : COSCO Shipping resumes bookings for the Middle East

The risks to shipping in the Arabian Gulf remain high, as evidenced by the recent attack on a fully laden Kuwaiti tanker off Dubai by Iranian forces using a drone.

It is noteworthy that on 9 March, the 1 million barrel Shenlong Suezmax , Smyrni and Marathi through the narrow waterway. was carrying Saudi Arabian crude oil loaded at the Ras Tanura port, with Mumbai in India listed as its destination, according to analysis from the maritime data platforms Kpler, Lloyd’s List Intelligence and MarineTraffic.

Source : Agencies - Image : VesselFinder

#Kpler #Lloyd’s List Intelligence  #Ras Tanura port#oil tanker Pola #(AIS)# Indian Ocean,#Shenlong Suezmax #Indian Ocean #Strait of Hornuz #Dynacom Tankers #Bloomberg