South Korean LNG Carrier Clears the Strait of Hormuz, Second Passage Since Last Month's Tanker Transit

[Financial News] A South Korean vessel that had been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz has now cleared the waterway. It is the second such passage after HMM's tanker Universal Winner crossed the strait last month.
According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) on the 11th, as of 7 a.m. that day, one South Korean-operated vessel that had been waiting inside the Strait of Hormuz had passed through and was sailing normally.
The vessel is an LNG carrier, and eight South Korean crew members are on board. Its destination is a third country, not South Korea.
The vessel decided to proceed after concluding, following consultations with its foreign charterer, that safe navigation was possible. Talks with Iran regarding passage were reportedly led by the charterer.
A MOF official said, "We are supporting safe operations, including real-time monitoring, so that the vessel can pass safely." The official added, "We ask for understanding that specific information about the ship, such as the shipping company, vessel name and charterer, cannot be disclosed in consideration of the crew's and the company's position."
The South Korean vessel's passage through the Strait of Hormuz came about 20 days after Universal Winner crossed the strait last month. The tanker, which was carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil, arrived at the Port of Ulsan the previous day. The government had negotiated with Iran to secure Universal Winner's passage.
As a result, the number of South Korean vessels waiting inside the Strait of Hormuz fell from 25 to 24 as of 7 a.m. that day. The number of South Korean crew members waiting in the strait also dropped from 147 to 139, including 105 on South Korean vessels and 34 on foreign vessels.
jhyuk@fnnews.com Kim Jun-hyeok Reporter