As 8 ships belonging to South Korean shipping companies that were trapped in the Strait of Hormuz safely exited on June 26, the number of South Korean ships remaining inside the strait decreased to 5.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries stated on this day, “The ships in question exited to the outside of the strait as of 9 a.m. on June 26.”

The 8 ships that passed through the strait on June 26 carry 37 South Korean crew members, and 1 of these ships was identified as having a destination in South Korea.

A total of 5 South Korean ships are currently staying inside the strait. This includes 1 ship, the HMM Namu, which was attacked early last month and is undergoing repairs at the Port of Dubai. The remaining 4 ships plan to pass through sequentially according to consultations with related countries and their own operating schedules.

The total number of South Korean crew members remaining inside the strait is 47, comprising 17 aboard South Korean ships and 30 aboard foreign ships.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to support the establishment of the shipping companies’ own operating plans and safe passage by providing passage-related trends and information for the 5 remaining ships as well.

Although ship departures are continuing following the United States-Iran ceasefire agreement, the situation within the strait still remains unpredictable. It was reported that a Singapore-flagged cargo ship using the Oman route was attacked by a drone the previous day (local time), and accordingly, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) also decided to tentatively suspend its plan to withdraw ships from the strait.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries stated, “Safe operations were supported with diplomatic assistance through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with real-time monitoring and the provision of passage information.”

It is known that South Korean ships are generally exiting the strait through the Iranian route after undergoing consultations with the Iranian side.

Source:Business Korea