Japan’s largest oil wholesaler, Eneos Holdings, says a crude oil tanker of one of its subsidiaries has passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
The firm said in a news conference on Thursday that Eneos Endeavor, which can carry about 2 million barrels of crude oil, had crossed the strait.
It also said the tanker is expected to arrive in Japan sometime between late May and early June if it continues sailing smoothly.
The company also said four Japanese crew members are in sound physical condition.
The firm did not elaborate on how the vessel moved since the effective closure of the strait.
But data from the ship tracking website Marine Traffic showed the vessel entered the Persian Gulf in late February and then headed toward the direction of Kuwait. The tanker is believed to have remained in the gulf since then.
Eneos Holdings Chief Executive Officer Miyata Tomohide told reporters he was extremely pleased with the vessel’s safe passage through the strait. He expressed gratitude to Japanese government officials, adding that the firm will do all it can to ensure a stable energy supply to fully respond to demand for oil-related products.
The Japanese government said the Eneos tanker’s passage through the strait has reduced the number of Japan-linked vessels in the Persian Gulf to 39. Three Japanese crew members are reportedly on board one of the vessels.