Pakistan Oil Tanker “Karachi” Clears Strait of Hormuz Amid Regional Crisis
Pakistan’s PNSC vessel becomes first non-Iranian cargo ship to openly broadcast its AIS signal while transiting the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began.
The Aframax tanker Karachi, operated by Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), transited the strait around March 15 after loading crude at Das Island in Abu Dhabi. Vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic, citing analytics provider Kpler, indicated the tanker was the first non-Iranian cargo vessel to transit the chokepoint while openly broadcasting its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal since hostilities escalated.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been all but halted since the conflict began, as traders closely watch vessels navigating the waterway — which typically handles about a fifth of the world’s oil.
Pakistan relies heavily on imported crude and refined fuels from Gulf producers, most of which pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Islamabad maintains good ties with Iran while also keeping close relations with Washington and Saudi Arabia, leaving it walking a diplomatic tightrope as tensions escalate. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi thanked Pakistan for its “solidarity” following the transit.
Pakistan’s finance ministry stated the country holds “comfortable” petroleum stocks, with supply secured for March and cargo coverage extending into mid-April, while also diversifying its fuel imports.
