S. Korean Oil Tanker Arrives Off Ulsan After Exiting Strait Of Hormuz
SEOUL, June 10 (NNN-Yonhap) -- A South Korean oil tanker arrived off the southeastern port city of Ulsan on Wednesday, about three weeks after exiting the Strait of Hormuz, where it had been stranded amid tensions in West Asia, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The very large crude carrier (VLCC) Universal Winner, operated by Korean shipping company HMM, reached waters near Ulsan, about 300 kilometres southeast of Seoul, carrying 2 million barrels of Kuwaiti crude oil.
As of 3.30 pm, the vessel was attempting to berth at SK Energy's offshore crude oil unloading facility with assistance from a pilot and tugboats.
The ship was the first of 26 South Korean vessels stranded near the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February to leave the area.
The tanker had been en route to load Kuwaiti crude when it entered the Strait of Hormuz on Feb 28, the day the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran.
The Universal Winner was allowed to depart under an agreement reached between South Korea and Iran on May 20.
The cargo belongs to SK Trading International, the crude oil trading arm of SK Group.
All 21 crew members -- nine South Koreans and 12 foreign nationals -- are reported to be in good health.
--NNN-YONHAP
