By Weilun Soon, Tsuyoshi Inajima, and Yuji Okada April 16, 2026 - A supertanker making its way to Japan with oil from the Middle East shows the lengths to which the country's refiners are going to secure supplies quick...
By Weilun Soon, Tsuyoshi Inajima, and Yuji Okada
April 16, 2026 - A supertanker making its way to Japan with oil from the Middle East shows the lengths to which the country's refiners are going to secure supplies quickly. The Bright Horizon, a very-large crude carrier, is sailing south from near Mumbai and heading to Japan's Kiire port, as per ship-tracking data. The tanker received Omani oil from another ship, the Shenlong, during an offshore transfer.
Japan is racing to secure crude supplies after the war in Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting exports from its main suppliers in the Persian Gulf. To speed things up, Japanese refiners are opting for smaller oil tankers that can pass through the Panama Canal, instead of using larger ships that have to take longer routes around Africa.
The situation with the Bright Horizon is notable because it's typically less cost-effective for a tanker to travel partially loaded to one destination. Additionally, freight costs have risen due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, adding to the overall expenses.
This offshore transfer of oil to the Bright Horizon marks the third instance of ship-to-ship cargo movement involving Japanese-owned tankers in recent weeks. Japan is increasingly relying on these transfers to secure oil supplies while keeping ships out of a conflict area that has become too dangerous.
The hesitation to send vessels to ports in the Red Sea, away from the immediate conflict zone, is worsening Japan's crude shortage. In May, Tokyo plans to release around 20 days' worth of oil from its national reserves, in addition to previous commitments.
ENEOS Ocean Corp., part of Eneos Holdings Inc., manages an oil terminal in Kiire and lists the Bright Horizon as part of its fleet. A spokesperson for Eneos Holdings chose not to comment.
The tanker Shenlong was one of the first large vessels to leave the Persian Gulf in early March. It delivered its cargo to Mumbai shortly after and then went to Oman to pick up the crude that was transferred to the Bright Horizon.