Chinese tanker moves two million Iraqi crude barrels Hormuz

Ship tracking data revealed on Wednesday the movement of a giant Chinese oil tanker loaded with approximately two million barrels of Iraqi crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, in a step indicating Baghdad's insistence on continuing its oil exports despite escalating security tensions in the region. Data from "LSEG" and "Kpler," specialized in tracking maritime traffic, showed that the giant Chinese tanker "Yuan Hua Hu" passed Iran's "Lark" Island heading south of the strait, after being stuck in Gulf waters since early March due to security conditions. The tanker, owned and operated by a Chinese company, carries a shipment of Iraqi "Basra Crude" and is now en route to Asian markets. This is the third Chinese-flagged ship to cross the Strait of Hormuz since recent US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Reports indicate that Iran has strengthened its authority and regulatory measures in the Strait of Hormuz over the past days, within the framework of understandings with Iraq and Pakistan regarding oil and gas corridors, at a time when global concern prevails about potential effects on global energy supplies due to continued tensions in this strategic waterway. This move comes a day after "Bloomberg" revealed that US forces, imposing a naval blockade on Iran, intercepted a Greek tanker carrying about two million barrels of Iraqi oil heading to Vietnam for "mysterious" reasons, prompting the Vietnamese government to demand Washington allow the shipment to pass to avoid paralyzing its oil refineries.