Malaysias ships cleared to transit the Strait of Hormuz

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that Iranian authorities have granted clearance for Malaysian oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. In a televised address on Thursday, Anwar expressed gratitude to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for allowing Malaysian vessels “early clearance” through the waterway.

The strait, which normally facilitates the transport of approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, has been effectively closed by Tehran. According to Anwar, Malaysia is in the process of securing the release of detained vessels and workers involved.

Anwar stated that his government will implement measures to conserve fuel, including reducing individual monthly quotas for subsidized petrol and gradually moving civil servants onto work-from-home arrangements. The Malaysian government imports nearly 70% of its crude oil from the Gulf region, making it a net energy exporter.

Iran has allowed ships not aligned with the US or Israel to pass through the strait, but Tehran claims the right to exercise control over the waterway and has admitted responsibility for at least two documented attacks on commercial vessels in the region. Iranian authorities have also been demanding vessels pay up to $2m to guarantee safe passage.

As of Wednesday, five ships were tracked transiting the strait via their automatic identification systems, up from four the previous day. Before the war, an average of 120 vessels transited the waterway each day, according to maritime intelligence company Windward.

Source: Al Jazeera