A Pakistan-flagged oil tanker took a longer and unusual route through the Strait of Hormuz, raising questions as tensions remain high in the region.
Tracking data from the maritime monitoring site MarineTraffic showed the tanker, named Karachi and owned by the state-run Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, sailing north into Iran’s Exclusive Economic Zone before turning south into the Gulf of Oman.
The vessel passed between Iran’s Qeshm and Larak islands and moved close to the Iranian coast while carrying a cargo of crude oil.
Experts say the route may have been taken in response to directions from Iranian authorities controlling passage through the area.
Former US Navy captain Bradley Martin said the unusual path could suggest the ship was following specific instructions from Iran regarding transit through the strategic waterway.
Martin, now a senior researcher at RAND Corporation, said the route could also indicate the possible presence of naval mines in the area.
Another analyst, Jonathan Schroden, said the route may have been chosen either because mines exist or to create the impression of a mining threat as a deterrent.
About one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, making it one of the most critical energy transit routes globally.
With inputs from BBC