HMM Oil Tanker, First to Escape Strait of Hormuz, to Arrive in Ulsan Tomorrow

The 'UNIVERSAL WINNER,' a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) operated by the South Korean shipping company HMM, is set to arrive at Ulsan Port three weeks after escaping the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the shipping industry, the UNIVERSAL WINNER, carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil, is scheduled to enter Ulsan tomorrow, June 10, in the afternoon.

The UNIVERSAL WINNER was the only one among 26 South Korean vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz following the Middle East conflict to successfully exit the strait on May 20.

This was made possible through consultations between South Korea and Iran.

The cargo owner of the UNIVERSAL WINNER is SK Trading International, an affiliate of SK Group specializing in crude oil and petroleum product trading.

The UNIVERSAL WINNER, which had headed to the Middle East to transport Kuwaiti crude oil, entered the Strait of Hormuz on February 28, the day the U.S. and Israel launched attacks against Iran, and loaded 2 million barrels of crude oil from the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) on March 4.

South Korea's daily oil consumption is 2.8 million barrels.

The crew members aboard the UNIVERSAL WINNER, consisting of 9 South Koreans and 12 foreign nationals, are reportedly in good health with no particular issues.

Following the outbreak of the war, a total of 5 HMM vessels—2 oil tankers, 2 bulk carriers, and 1 container ship—were stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. With the departure of the UNIVERSAL WINNER, 4 vessels remain.

Among them, the bulk carrier 'NAMU' was struck on May 4 and is currently undergoing repairs in Dubai.

The government believes the NAMU was attacked by an Iranian anti-ship missile.

(Photo: MarineTraffic capture, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.