ISTANBUL
A Japanese liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker has transited the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the Middle East conflict began, offering some relief to the energy-dependent nation.
A spokesperson for the tanker’s joint owner, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, said on Friday that the crew of the Panama-flagged Sohar LNG is safe, according to The Japan Times.
The spokesperson declined to say when the vessel crossed the strait or whether any negotiations were involved.
On Thursday, Bloomberg reported that the tanker appeared to be empty as it attempted to exit the strait. The Sohar LNG had been circling in the Persian Gulf over the past month.
Japan procures some 90% of its energy supplies from the Gulf and was one of the first countries to release oil from its strategic reserves.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for oil and gas shipments, has sharply declined amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.
About 20 million barrels of oil pass through the strait daily, and its disruption has driven up oil prices as well as shipping and insurance costs, fueling global economic concerns.
A total of 220 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in March, with liquid tankers accounting for more than half of all crossings, according to data shared by MarineTraffic and Kpler on Friday.