Korean tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz after Seoul-Tehran coordination

A Korean tanker that had been stranded near the Strait of Hormuz passed through the strait along an Iran-approved route on Wednesday after coordination between Seoul and Tehran. It marked the first known transit by a Korean vessel since maritime traffic in the region was disrupted earlier this year. "An oil tanker of Korea has passed the Strait of Hormuz and is continuing its voyage," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. A ministry official said that Iran informed the Korean Embassy in Tehran on Monday night that one Korean vessel would be allowed to transit the strait. The Korean government relayed the message to shipping company HMM, which later decided to proceed with the voyage. The vessel, identified as the HMM-owned crude oil carrier Universal Winner, began sailing from waters near Qatar early Tuesday and passed through the strait on Wednesday evening, according to the ministry. About 10 Korean crew members were aboard the tanker. “The move is taking place in coordination with Iran and other relevant countries to ensure navigational safety,” the official said, adding that neith

Original source: Korea Times