A fleet of ten Japan‑linked vessels exited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. The convoy includes six very large crude carriers loaded with 12 million barrels of Middle Eastern crude, two chemical tankers, a vehicle carrier and a container ship. Most of the vessels are managed by Japanese shipper Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), which declined to comment. The tankers in the fleet are carrying crudes from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar that were loaded in late February to early March, and a supertanker carrying Saudi crude for South Korea left over the weekend. The Japan‑linked ships had been stranded in the Gulf for months because of the Iran war.

According to Almonitor, a Liberian‑flagged crude oil tanker owned by Japan’s Kyoei Tanker and carrying three Japanese crew members safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday and exited the Gulf after having been stuck there due to the Iran war. Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated with Iran over the passage, the outlet reported.

The Japanese‑flagged container ship One Majesty, owned and managed by MOL and operated by Ocean Network Express (ONE), sustained partial damage to its stern while anchored about 97 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the Japan Times. No crew members were injured, and there was no flooding, fire or oil leakage reported. The vessel’s sailing capability has been confirmed, and the company is working with relevant parties to investigate the cause of the damage. The Financial Times first reported that the container ship was “struck” in the Gulf, the Japan Times noted.