An aerial view shows an oil factory of Idemitsu Kosan Co. in Ichihara, east of Tokyo, Japan November 12, 2021, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Picture taken on November 12, 2021. Mandatory credit Kyodo\/via REUTERS<\/p>\n
Idemitsu Maru Tanker Carrying Saudi Oil Seeks to Cross Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n
By Katya Golubkova and Kantaro Komiya<\/p>\n
TOKYO, April 28 (Reuters)\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Panama-flagged tanker<\/p>\n
, carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi oil, is attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, LSEG shipping data showed on Tuesday, and is poised to be the first Japan-linked crude tanker to do so since the<\/p>\n
broke out on February 28 and disrupted Middle East crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, Japan relied on the region for 95% of its oil imports, much of it coming via the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
The move comes as Japan\u2019s recent diplomatic efforts to safeguard energy supplies were disrupted by the war.<\/p>\n
Earlier in April, the<\/p>\n
LNG\u00a0tanker co-owned by Japan\u2019s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines\u00a09104.T\u00a0and the Mitsui-owned LPG tanker\u00a08031.T,<\/p>\n
, a very large crude carrier (VLCC), is managed by a unit of Japanese refiner Idemitsu Kosan\u00a05019.T.<\/p>\n
Idemitsu Kosan declined to comment on individual ships.<\/p>\n
The vessel was 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) east of Larak Island and moving eastward with its Automatic Identification System active, separate data from MarineTraffic showed.<\/p>\n
HORMUZ TRAFFIC STAYS MUTED<\/p>\n
Between 125 and 140 ships crossed in and out of the strait daily before February 28, but only two had sailed in the past day, including a general cargo ship Gulf King that sailed from Iran\u2019s Bandar Abbas anchorage and the Axion I liquefied\u00a0petroleum\u00a0gas (LPG) tanker,<\/p>\n
which is subject to US sanctions<\/p>\n
, according to Kpler ship-tracking data and satellite analysis from SynMax.<\/p>\n
An\u00a0LNG\u00a0tanker managed by UAE\u2019s ADNOC<\/p>\n
crossed Hormuz and was near India, ship-tracking data showed on Monday. If confirmed, it would be the first loaded\u00a0LNG\u00a0tanker to cross the strait since the war began. It was unclear when it sailed.<\/p>\n
If Hormuz were to reopen by \u201ctomorrow, we suggest that it will take until at least September for tanker and oil markets to return to something resembling \u2018normal,’\u201d ship broker BRS said in a note this week.<\/p>\n
U.S. President Donald Trump is unhappy with the latest Iranian proposal on resolving the two-month war, a U.S. official said,<\/p>\n
for a resolution soon.<\/p>\n