The Malaysian foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that a Malaysian vessel has safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz and is on its way to Malaysia. This comes after Iran closed the crucial sea route in response to US and Israeli airstrikes. One of the seven Malaysian-owned commercial vessels stuck in the strait due to the conflict was granted safe passage, although the specific details of the vessel and its cargo were not disclosed.
The successful passage followed diplomatic efforts, including a phone call between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. According to the Iranian embassy in Kuala Lumpur, the Ocean Thunder oil tanker, chartered by Petco (a unit of Malaysian state energy firm Petronas), passed through the strait carrying Iraqi crude. The tanker, loaded with 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy crude on March 2, is expected to unload its cargo in Malaysia’s Pengerang in mid-April.
