A report by The Wall Street Journal stated that five tankers linked to Iran en route to Malaysia have changed course after a warning from the United States. Washington has signaled that ships suspected of carrying Iranian oil are at risk of being intercepted in international waters.
According to data from List Intelligence, the Suezmax Kariz, carrying around one million barrels of crude oil, changed course near Sri Lanka after originally heading to Malaysia and Singapore. Another ship, Andromeda, carrying around two million barrels of oil was also diverted in the Indian Ocean.
In a similar development, two empty tankers, the Amak and the Elisabet, were forced to turn back near the Strait of Hormuz after approaching the presence of the US Navy. The incident reflects the increasing level of security risks in the world's main energy route.
In Malaysia, the government had previously announced that seven tankers owned by local firms including Petroliam Nasional Bhd were awaiting approval to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
On April 18, the chartered ship Ocean Thunder successfully arrived with one million barrels of oil from Iraq, while another ship is expected to follow in the near future.
Geopolitical tensions continued to push up global oil prices. Benchmark Brent crude rose 4.64% to around $94.57 a barrel, with the risk of a surge above $100 if the conflict escalates.
The situation has become increasingly tense after reports that US President Donald Trump ordered the seizure of an Iranian ship in the Gulf of Oman, while Tehran warned of retaliation and was not ready to join new talks.
