First Korean tanker clears Red Sea after Strait of Hormuz closure

Published: Apr 17, 2026 16:44

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A South Korean vessel that had been stranded by the Middle East crisis and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has safely exited the Red Sea for the first time.

On April 17, the Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced that a South Korean tanker loaded with crude oil at Yanbu Port in Saudi Arabia had safely passed through the Red Sea.

This marks the first case of crude oil being transported to South Korea via the Red Sea, which has served as an alternative route since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

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