2nd Japan-linked ship crosses Strait of Hormuz
A liquefied petroleum gas carrier affiliated with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. has become the second Japan-linked vessel that crossed the Strait of Hormuz under a de facto blockade, it was learned Saturday (April 4).
The ship is the Indian-flagged LPG tanker Green Sanvi, owned by an Indian affiliate of Mitsui O.S.K., according to the Japanese company. The vessel is on its way to India after leaving the Persian Gulf.
"We've confirmed the safety of the crew, cargo and hull," a Mitsui O.S.K. official said. "We'll continue to act, giving our top priority to safety."
The LPG tanker was among the 45 Japan-linked vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran's blockade of the key oil transit chokepoint.
On Friday, it turned out that a liquefied natural gas ship jointly owned by Mitsui O.S.K. and an Omani company, which was also among the 45 ships, passed through the strait.
The successive passage of Mitsui O.S.K.-linked vessels may be attributable to factors such as their flags and cargo, rather than their affiliation with the company, a shipping industry source said.
Currently, 43 Japan-related ships remain in the Persian Gulf, including 12 crude oil tankers. On Monday, the Japanese government said that four of the 24 Japanese crew members on stranded Japan-linked vessels had disembarked and returned to Japan.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
