18th crude shipment via Red Sea since Strait of Hormuz blockade

Vessel opts for Suez over Bab-el-Mandeb; third Suez transit overall

Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries maintains close monitoring, real-time communications

A view of the Strait of Hormuz from Musandam, Oman [Reuters]
A view of the Strait of Hormuz from Musandam, Oman [Reuters]

A South Korean oil tanker has passed through the Suez Canal at the northern end of the Red Sea for the first time in about six weeks, carrying crude oil bound for South Korea. The vessel took the Suez Canal route instead of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait to the south, marking the third time a Korean tanker has used the Suez Canal to transport crude since the Strait of Hormuz was blockaded.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said Monday that as of 10 a.m., a South Korean oil tanker had safely transited the Suez Canal after loading crude at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port and was en route to South Korea.

The last time a South Korean tanker passed through the Suez Canal was Aug. 19, roughly six weeks ago. The vessel is the 18th ship to transport crude to South Korea via the Red Sea since the Strait of Hormuz blockade, and the third to have taken the Suez Canal route.

Since the Strait of Hormuz was blockaded in late February, South Korean oil tankers have been loading crude at Yanbu on Saudi Arabia's western coast and shipping it home through the Red Sea. Most vessels have used the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait to the south, though some have opted for the northern Suez Canal route.

A ministry official said the decision to use the Suez Canal rather than the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait "was made by the shipping company and the cargo owner."

While the vessel navigated the Red Sea, the ministry provided close monitoring, voyage safety information, and real-time communications among the ministry, the shipping company and the vessel to ensure the safety of the ship and its crew.

The ministry did not disclose the name of the shipping company, the vessel or the charterer, citing safety concerns.


adastra@heraldcorp.com