Bloomberg: First Tanker Carrying Iraqi Oil Crosses Strait of Hormuz Since the Start of Iran War

AP

Ships at the Strait of Hormuz.

A supertanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi crude oil has successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first observed transit of Iraqi oil via the strategic waterway since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict. 

Ship‑tracking data compiled by Bloomberg indicated that the tanker — identified as the Omega Trader and operated by Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines — arrived in Mumbai, India in recent days after navigating the strait. The vessel’s last known signal before reaching India came from within the Arabian Gulf more than ten days earlier.

The transit is notable because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow chokepoint that normally carries around a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil trade — has been severely disrupted since the war began, with most commercial traffic effectively halted amid heightened military risks and geopolitical uncertainty.

Reports suggest that many of the tankers managing to transit recently are heading to India, and that the Indian government has been in discussions with Iranian officials to secure safe passage for its energy‑bound vessels. There have also been instances of the Iranian navy escorting tankers, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, through the strait to ensure their safe transit.




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