en.Wedoany.com Reported - Regional conflicts have reignited this week, but at least two supertankers owned by the same company appear to have crossed the Strait of Hormuz along a U.S.-protected route.
Both very large crude carriers are operated by Kyklades Maritime Corp., headquartered in Piraeus, Greece. Ship tracking data shows that the "Nissos Kea" lost its automatic identification system signal as it approached the waterway, reappearing inside the Persian Gulf a few hours later, while the "Nissos Heraclea" moved in the opposite direction.
Over the past 24 hours, the number of observable tankers transiting the strait has slowed. This follows mutual missile and drone strikes between the U.S. and Iran, with a temporary peace agreement on the brink of collapse. Before the latest escalation in hostilities, an increasing number of tankers had been "sneaking" through Hormuz, and the impact of the latest conflict remains unclear.
Tracking data indicates that both tankers appear to be transporting crude oil from Qatar. One loaded at the Al Shaheen field, while the other is heading toward Halul Island. Neither vessel broadcast its destination while in the Persian Gulf, though both kept their transponders on for most of the time within the region.
Partial position data for the inbound Greek tanker during its transit of Hormuz suggests it likely used the southern route through the waterway, hugging the Omani coastline. The outbound tanker also stayed relatively close to the Omani side before entering Hormuz.
The U.S. has refuted Iran's claims that only Tehran-designated routes are permitted. In a social media post, the U.S. Central Command stated that since early May, U.S. forces have helped transport 380 million barrels of crude oil, equivalent to a flow rate of 5.4 million barrels per day. Including Iran's flow, this figure would far exceed 6 million barrels per day.
In recent days, several vessels using the Oman route have been attacked by Iran. Tehran is attempting to restrict traffic to the northern route through its waters. Over the past 24 hours, the only supertanker observed crossing the strait via this northern route had previously loaded cargo at Iran's Kharg Island terminal in the northern Persian Gulf. This is the latest in a wave of Iran-linked supertankers heading from Iranian ports to Asia over the past few days.
