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Iran Allows 2 M-Barrel Japanese Tanker, Japan Ramps Up US Oil

4/30/2026

27 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Iran Allows Transit

Iran allowed the VLCC Idemitsu Maru to transit the Strait of Hormuz on 28 April 2026 with 2 million barrels of Saudi crude after Japan secured the passage through negotiations and paid no fee.
The ship entered the Gulf of Oman at 12:30 p.m. on 28 April and should arrive in Nagoya on 18 May.
After a 62-day stranding, the transit leaves 40-41 Japan-related vessels stuck, prompting Japan to boost U.S. oil imports and draw down reserves.

Summary

Idemitsu Maru Bypasses

Idemitsu Maru followed a Tehran-approved lane around Qeshm and Larak Islands, avoiding the Larak Channel.
It kept its AIS on 30 km east of Larak Island, unlike many Iran-linked ships that switch it off before Hormuz.
Bloomberg tracking recorded only one non-Iranian VLCC in ten days.
U.S. naval restrictions forced vessels to deactivate AIS until they reach the Strait of Malacca, about 13 days from Kharg Island.

History

Historical Context

The 1973 OPEC oil embargo, launched in October after the Yom Kippur War, cut Middle-East exports by up to 70 % and drove world oil prices from $3 to $11.65 per barrel, forcing Japan—then reliant on 90 % Middle-East oil—to slash consumption by 20 %. On 28 April 2026 Iran cleared the VLCC Idemitsu Maru, carrying 2 million barrels of Saudi crude, echoing the embargo’s legacy in today’s maritime negotiations.

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Iran Allows Transit

Iran allowed the VLCC Idemitsu Maru to transit the Strait of Hormuz on 28 April 2026 with 2 million barrels of Saudi crude after Japan secured the passage through negotiations and paid no fee.
The ship entered the Gulf of Oman at 12:30 p.m. on 28 April and should arrive in Nagoya on 18 May.
After a 62-day stranding, the transit leaves 40-41 Japan-related vessels stuck, prompting Japan to boost U.S. oil imports and draw down reserves.

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