Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai

Dubai, Apr 12: Three oil-laden supertankers have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz amid a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, offering slight relief to disrupted global energy supplies.

The strait, a critical chokepoint handling nearly 20 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, has faced disruptions since the outbreak of conflict involving the US and Israel earlier this year.

Shipping data showed that the Liberia-flagged VLCC Serifos and China-flagged vessels Cospearl Lake and He Rong Hai exited the Hormuz Passage trial anchorage on Saturday. Each of these supertankers can carry up to 2 million barrels of oil.

The Serifos, chartered by Thailand’s state-owned PTT, is transporting crude sourced from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and is expected to reach Malaysia later this month.

Meanwhile, Cospearl Lake, carrying Iraqi crude, is headed to China and is chartered by Sinopec’s trading arm.

Despite these movements, hundreds of tankers remain stranded in the Gulf, awaiting safe passage during the ongoing two-week ceasefire window.

Additional vessels, including empty tankers, were also seen navigating the strait to enter the Gulf for fresh oil loading, indicating cautious resumption of maritime activity in the region.

The developments come as global markets continue to closely monitor the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for international energy trade.