New Delhi, Jun 18: Three Saudi Arabia-flagged supertankers have crossed the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by BBC Verify citing shipping data from MarineTraffic.
The vessels — Awtad, Jaham and Shaden — reportedly transited the narrow waterway with their position transmitters switched off before reactivating them after entering the Gulf of Oman.
The tankers had been anchored west of the strait in the Gulf since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in the region.
MarineTraffic data cited by the BBC showed that all three tankers were loaded with crude oil at Saudi Arabia's RasTanura oil terminal.
Two of the vessels took on cargo on 27 and 28 February, before the conflict began, while the third loaded oil on 7 March, about a week after hostilities erupted.
According to their latest transmitted data, Awtad is bound for the Republic of Korea, while Shaden has listed Japan as its destination.
Jaham is not currently broadcasting an intended destination, the report said.
The movement of the vessels comes amid heightened concerns over shipping security and potential disruptions to energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.
