Amid boiling tensions in the Gulf, Iran has wielded its control of the strategic channel to choke global oil supplies, especially to the US and its allies. Many countries – including those from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – have turned to diplomatic efforts to secure safe passage for their supply tankers.This week, two Indonesian vessels – Pertamina Pride and Gamsunoro – left the strait after receiving approval from Iranian authorities. The outcome follows diplomatic efforts by Jakarta to negotiate the smooth sailing of tankers carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia.
Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs spokesman Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela said communication with Iran had been established since the situation first escalated.
The vessels and their cargo were critical in maintaining Indonesia’s national energy security, according to Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry spokeswoman Dwi Anggia.
Tankers and cargo ships dock at the oil depot and container terminal of Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
“The Energy Ministry is coordinating intensively with the Foreign Ministry to ensure that Indonesian vessels can transit the Strait of Hormuz safely and smoothly,” Dwi said in a statement on Sunday.