Japan to Receive First Saudi Crude Shipment via Strait of Hormuz Since February

A supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi crude is scheduled to reach Japan on May 25 after transiting the Strait of Hormuz in late April. The very large crude carrier Idemitsu Maru departed Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura port in mid-March and cleared the strait in late April. As of early Friday, the vessel was near Japan’s coast.

The cargo is destined for the Aichi refinery operated by Idemitsu Kosan. Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry confirmed the destination in a briefing document. The arrival marks the first Middle East crude shipment to Japan via the strait since the Iran war began on February 28. S. in the Gulf of Oman since the conflict started.