1 more Korean vessel exits Strait of Hormuz
The very large crude carrier Universal Winner, a Korean oil tanker operated by Korean shipping company HMM, reaches waters off Ulsan, June 10. Yonhap
One additional Korean-operated vessel has exited the Strait of Hormuz after being stranded there amid the U.S.-Iran war, bringing the total number of ships remaining in the region to just two, the oceans ministry said Wednesday.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said the vehicle carrier bound for Korea safely passed through the strategic waterway and is sailing normally, with six Korean sailors on board.
It was among the 26 Korea-related vessels that had been stranded in the strait after Iran blocked shipping routes in the waterway in late February amid its conflict with the United States and Israel.
With the latest departure, only the HMM Namu, which sustained damage in Iranian-linked missile attacks and is undergoing repairs at a port in Dubai, and one other ship are Korea-linked vessels still within the Persian Gulf.
The ministry said the HMM Namu is expected to leave the strait in late July after repairs are completed, while the other vessel will likely resume its sailing in accordance with its shipping schedule.
A total of 35 Korean sailors now remain in the Persian Gulf, including 28 aboard foreign-flagged ships, according to the ministry.