Strait of Hormuz New Route: Relief news has emerged for global maritime trade. A new sea route is seen opening in the Strait of Hormuz, through which commercial ships are passing. This route is different from the traditional route and the route recently constructed by Iran.
According to analysis of AIS (Automatic Identification System) and remote sensing data, at least four large ships carrying oil, LNG and general cargo have passed through this new route. This new route avoids international waters and remains within Oman’s territorial waters, allowing ships to pass relatively safely.
travel within the borders of Oman
According to NDTV report, two large crude oil tankers Marshall Islands-flagged “Habrut” and “Dhalkut” as well as Panama-flagged “Sohar” LNG carrier entered Oman’s territorial waters near Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. These ships had switched off their transponders (location signals) near the Musandam Peninsula. On April 3, he was seen in the sea about 350 kilometers away from Muscat.
Tankers were loaded with millions of barrels of oil
According to maritime analysis firm TankerTrackers, the tankers “Habrut” and “Dhalkut” were loaded with about 2 million barrels of crude oil from Saudi and UAE. The “Sohar” LNG carrier had departed from UAE’s Al Hamriya Port on March 21, although it is not clear whether it was fully loaded or not.
Indian ship also passed through this route
Behind these ships, an Indian flagged cargo ship “MSV Cuba MNV 2183” was also seen passing through the same route. The ship had departed from Dubai on March 31 and its last location was recorded in the open sea, about 40 kilometers from Dibba Port in Oman.
The crisis increased due to Iran’s attacks
In fact, just a few days after America and Israel carried out air strikes on Iran on February 28, Iran started attacking ships with missiles and drones. About 20 percent of the world’s energy supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, so due to these attacks the energy supply of many countries, especially India, was affected.
Iran had created a new control route
After increasing tensions, Iran had created a new and longer sea route to control the movement of ships. This route passes through Iran’s maritime border and emerges through a narrow passage between Qeshm and Larak islands. According to the report, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allows ships to pass through this route on a case-by-case basis and checks their identity. Not only this, Iran is also charging up to $1 per barrel of crude oil from ships passing through this route.
The movement of these ships has come to light at a time when there have been reports of major explosions and fires at the main naval base of the IRGC on Qeshm Island. Analysts believe the fire was caused by air strikes, with at least four warehouses affected.