An oil tanker anchored near Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz [Getty Images]
An oil tanker anchored near Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz [Getty Images]

A South Korean vessel carrying liquefied natural gas has become the second ship to transit the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of war involving Iran.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced Thursday that a second South Korean ship had cleared the strait. The vessel is an LNG carrier operated by a South Korean shipping company with eight South Korean crew members on board. It has fully exited the strait and is under way, though its destination is not South Korea.

Negotiations with Iran to secure the ship's passage were led by a foreign company that had chartered the vessel, sources said. The ministry said it is providing real-time monitoring and other navigational support to ensure safe transit, but cannot disclose specific details — including the shipping company, vessel name or charterer — out of consideration for the crew and the operator.

The transit comes roughly 20 days after HMM's Universal Winner became the first South Korean vessel to clear the strait. In that case, the South Korean government negotiated directly with Iranian authorities to secure passage.

With the second ship now through, 24 South Korean vessels remain anchored inside the Strait of Hormuz. A total of 139 South Korean crew members are currently in the strait, including those aboard foreign-flagged ships.


kate01@heraldcorp.com