A Panama-flagged crude oil tanker managed by Japan’s Eneos has successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz, marking the second instance of a Japan-linked vessel making this passage amid ongoing tensions. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reached out to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to facilitate the transit of the tanker, which carries four Japanese crew members.
Before the U.S.-Israeli conflict disrupted oil supplies, Japan sourced approximately 95% of its oil imports from the Gulf. Eneos’s CEO, Miyata Tomohide, confirmed that the tanker is transporting 1.2 million barrels of Kuwaiti crude and 700,000 barrels of Emirati Das Blend oil, with an expected arrival in Japan around early June.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated that the government did not pay Iran for the transit, as diplomatic efforts intensify to ensure safe passage for all Japanese-affiliated vessels. Currently, 39 Japan-related ships remain stranded in the Gulf.
In related developments, Idemitsu Kosan’s Idemitsu Maru also crossed the Strait in late April, and expectations are set for a reopening between July and September, with oil prices projected to return to pre-war levels by March 2027.
Share it now
