By Julian Lee May 24, 2026 (Bloomberg) – A supertanker transporting Iraqi crude oil to China has left the Persian Gulf and crossed into the Arabian Sea, as efforts continue to resolve the conflict between the US and Ir...
By Julian Lee
May 24, 2026 (Bloomberg) – A supertanker transporting Iraqi crude oil to China has left the Persian Gulf and crossed into the Arabian Sea, as efforts continue to resolve the conflict between the US and Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The very large crude carrier, Eagle Verona, moved from the Gulf of Oman into the Arabian Sea, carrying around 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude bound for China, according to vessel tracking data from Bloomberg.
Tanker movements from the Persian Gulf are being monitored closely by the oil market, as many ships have been stranded since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz after attacks by the US and Israel at the end of February. This closure has halted most vessels from leaving and has also blocked others from entering this oil and gas-rich region.
The US and Iran are slowly approaching a deal to end the conflict and allow the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Senior US officials reported on Sunday that both sides are making progress towards an agreement. President Donald Trump stated that a peace deal with Iran has been “largely negotiated,” but Iran's Fars agency dismissed this claim, stating it is “far from reality” without providing specific details.
The VLCC loaded its cargo at the Basra Oil Terminal on February 28 and is on its way to the Chinese port of Ningbo, with an expected arrival date of June 12.
The departure of the Eagle Verona follows that of another vessel, the liquefied natural gas carrier Al Hamra, which is carrying the first shipment of superchilled fuel from the Persian Gulf to India since the onset of the Iran war.
According to the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency, 33 vessels, including oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial crafts, passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours after receiving approval from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
Additionally, the US Navy has imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports since mid-April, during which it redirected 100 commercial vessels, as noted in a post from US Central Command on X on Saturday.
The Eagle Verona is owned by AET Inc PTE Ltd, a Malaysian firm headquartered in Singapore, based on information from the Equasis maritime database. The company did not reply to an email sent outside of business hours on Sunday. AET is part of the MISC Group, which belongs to the PETRONAS Group of Companies, as indicated on company websites. MISC and AET share an address in Singapore, according to Equasis.