A second South Korean-flagged vessel carrying crude oil has safely passed through the Red Sea and is now en route to the country, authorities said Sunday, marking another successful detour following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said the vessel had cleared the Red Sea as of 10 a.m. (Korean time) and is transporting crude to South Korea. It follows a similar case in mid-April, when a South Korean tanker departed Yanbu Port in Saudi Arabia on April 17 and navigated the same alternative route.
The rerouting comes as South Korea, a major crude importer heavily reliant on Middle Eastern supplies, seeks to secure stable shipments after the Strait of Hormuz — a key global oil chokepoint — became effectively inaccessible. Oil exporters have typically preferred the route, while the Red Sea passage carries risks, including potential attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
“The government supported the safety of the vessel and its crew throughout the voyage,” the ministry said, adding that it provided 24-hour real-time monitoring, navigational safety information and a real-time communication channel linking the ministry, the shipping company and the vessel.
milaya@heraldcorp.com
