A tanker that escaped through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz is set to arrive in South Korea, Reuters reported Thursday.
According to the news agency, the Malta-flagged tanker Odessa passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 13th and is heading to Korea. The Odessa is a Suezmax-class tanker capable of carrying 1 million barrels of oil.
The vessel loaded crude oil in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is scheduled to arrive at Daesan Port, home to HD Hyundai Oilbank's refinery, on May 8 to unload its cargo.
The tanker reportedly sailed with its Automatic Identification System (AIS) turned off before being detected again near Fujairah Port in the UAE on the 17th. It narrowly escaped just before Iran re-imposed the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Hyundai Oilbank confirmed that the tanker was heading to its refining facility but declined to comment specifically on what cargo it was carrying.
Iran effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of global energy shipments pass — on February 28 in retaliation after war broke out following attacks by the United States and Israel. Iran announced the reopening of the strait on the 17th, only to close it again a day later.
The United States has responded to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz with a counter-blockade. By blocking the passage of vessels bound for or departing from Iranian ports, Washington aims to cut off Iran's "oil revenue pipeline."
