finance
Two Saudi crude tankers head toward Strait of Hormuz while most traffic remains blocked after Iranian warnings
Two very large crude carriers owned by Japanese companies are approaching the Strait of Hormuz with 4 million barrels of Saudi oil. The movement follows a partial reopening of the waterway after a mid-June ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
Jul 7, 4:30 AM·1m read2 sources
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Two very large crude carriers loaded with Saudi crude are heading toward the Strait of Hormuz as of July 7, 2026. The tankers, operated by Nippon Yusen KK and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, each loaded 2 million barrels on March 1 and remained stuck after Iran shut down traffic through the waterway. Both vessels are fully loaded and bound for Japan.
As many as 12 million barrels on six tankers exited the strait on July 6, along with two chemical tankers, one vehicle carrier, and one cargo ship, all heading to Japan. Commercial traffic stands at roughly one-third of the pre-war level of about 84 daily vessel transits. On July 4 only 25 vessels crossed with active AIS transmissions.
Four outbound tankers reversed course on or around July 4 after receiving radio warnings from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. At least eight oil tankers and LNG carriers made U-turns near the Omani coast on July 3 and 4 while outbound from the Gulf. Saudi Arabia has exported 34 million barrels of crude through the strait since the preliminary ceasefire in mid-June.
The UAE posted record oil exports for June via the same route.
