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Select Tankers Resume Hormuz Transit Despite Blockade Risk, Kpler Says

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Select crude and liquefied petroleum gas tankers resumed transits through the Strait of Hormuz this week as Iran allowed about 30 vessels to pass under managed protocols, Kpler said Friday.

Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency said Thursday Tehran approved vessel movements after Beijing requested smoother shipping access for strategic partners, according to Kpler.

Kpler identified 11 vessels that crossed the strait, including five liquefied petroleum gas tankers and two Very Large Crude Carriers, while more ships may have crossed without AIS signals.

Eneos said Thursday that the VLCC Eneos Endeavor successfully exited the Strait of Hormuz, becoming only the second Japanese crude carrier to clear the Gulf since late February, Kpler added.

The tanker loaded about 1.2 million barrels of Kuwaiti crude and 700,000 barrels of Das crude from the UAE before it became stranded in the Gulf for over two months.

Kpler said the Eneos Endeavor stopped transmitting AIS signals near Dubai on May 9, resurfaced off Muscat on May 13, and later entered the Arabian Sea after clearing the US blockade zone while signaling Kiire, Japan, as its destination.

After loading Basrah Medium crude in early March, the Chinese VLCC Yuan Hua Hu cleared the Gulf on May 13 during the Xi-Trump summit in Beijing and is currently signaling Zhoushan, China, as its destination.

The Yuan Hua Hu turned off AIS transmissions on May 9, resurfaced near Iran's Larak Island four days later, and later broadcasted location signals intermittently during transit.

Kpler said the VLCC Agios Fanourios I reversed course near the Arabian Sea and failed to complete its voyage despite keeping AIS transmissions active throughout the journey.

The tanker loaded 2 million barrels of Basrah crude for Vietnam's Nghi Son Refinery and remains anchored near Muscat after turning back earlier this week.

PV OIL warned US officials that critically low inventories at Nghi Son Refinery could force the facility to halt throughput if delays continue, Kpler added, citing Reuters.

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