NEW YORK – At least eight oil tankers raced towards the Strait of Hormuz in the hours after Iran’s foreign minister said the vital waterway was fully open to shipping.
Five of the carriers, which had been anchored north of Dubai, were moving into the waterway on the afternoon of April 17, soon after Iran’s foreign minister said it was completely open, vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Three more, which were waiting about 100km west, have also begun moving in the direction of the strait.
Hundreds of tankers have been stuck in the Persian Gulf as a result of the Middle East conflict, and the decision to transit depends on the owners, captains and crews. Several ship owners earlier told Bloomberg they were seeking more information before they would be ready to consider transiting.
Still, if the ships continue their voyages, their movements would be among the clearest signs yet that Hormuz might finally be opening up to shipping that is not connected to Iran since the war began on Feb 28.
The closure of the strait has caused a surge in oil, fuel and natural gas prices as it choked off a swathe of shipments and caused the region’s top producers to cut output.
The tankers moved despite reports in Iranian media that suggested the country was still seeking to impose restrictions.
The Tasnim news agency reported that ships and cargoes linked to “hostile” countries would not be allowed through.
Passage via Strait of Hormuz will be closed if US naval blockade continues as it will be considered a violation of the ceasefire, the country’s Fars news agency reports, citing a source. BLOOMBERG
