A Pakistan Navy ship conducting maritime safety operations in unidentified waters on the 9th [Reuters Yonhap News]

A Pakistani oil tanker has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, effectively blockaded by Iran, for the first time, Reuters reported on the 17th.

Citing data from maritime traffic information firm MarineTraffic and the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), Reuters reported that the medium-sized oil tanker 'Karachi,' belonging to Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 15th after loading crude oil from Das Island in Abu Dhabi.

The oil tanker is expected to arrive at Karachi Port in southern Pakistan later today.

MarineTraffic stated on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the Karachi's passage through the strait, "This suggests that some cargo ships are securing safe passage through negotiations."

The previous day, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant said that the United States believes some oil tankers from India, China, and Iran have passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

Reuters reported that the Pakistan Navy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others, did not respond to requests for comment on this matter.

According to LSEG vessel data, another PNSC oil tanker, the 'Lahore,' also loaded crude oil from the Red Sea port of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia and is expected to arrive in Pakistan in three days at its current speed.

Pakistan maintains close relationships with its neighboring country Iran, as well as with the United States and Saudi Arabia.

Reuters pointed out that Pakistan, in particular, has a mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia signed last year, and is currently "walking a diplomatic tightrope" amid the Middle Eastern war that began with a preemptive attack on Iran by the United States and Israel last month.

Pakistan launched a maritime safety operation last week, including escorting its merchant ships.

In this regard, a Pakistan military source told Reuters that the Navy had contacted the Iranian Navy, adding, "Escort was not necessary as it was a Pakistani vessel."

Previously, the Pakistani Ministry of Finance stated that while its required crude oil supply for the next month had been secured, it was diversifying its fuel import sources.

Meanwhile, Indian media, including the Times of India (TOI), reported yesterday that the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers 'Shivalik' and 'Nanda Devi,' belonging to the state-owned Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), also passed through the Strait of Hormuz under escort by their navy.

The Shivalik has already arrived at Mundra Port in western India, and the Nanda Devi is expected to arrive later today, the 17th.

Additionally, the Indian oil tanker 'Jag Radhki,' which loaded crude oil in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 14th, is currently heading to India.