Greek-operated tanker among few oil vessels to cross Strait of Hormuz

A Greek-operated tanker sailed from the Gulf to India on Friday after crossing the Strait of Hormuz in one of the few crude sailings through the waterway this week, ship tracking data shows.

The US-Israeli war on Iran has led to the effective closure of the strait, stranding hundreds of ships and leading to unprecedented disruption of energy supplies.

The Liberia-flagged suezmax tanker Karolos, which can carry a maximum of 1 million barrels of oil, was sailing towards the western India port of Sikka on Friday after crossing the Strait of Hormuz on May 14, according to analysis from Kpler.

The vessel was at maximum load after calling at Basra oil terminal on May 10, Kpler analysis shows.

Satellite analysis from data analytics specialists SynMax also finds that the vessel’s draft had increased on May 14, indicating it had taken on cargo.

Karolos’ Greek-based manager Dynacom, which has been one of the salient Greek players to ship oil through the strait after the war began on February 28, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Separately, a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker managed by Japanese refining group Eneos passed through the strait, ship-tracking data from LSEG showed on Thursday.