Stranded for 115 days, oil tanker resumes voyage to Bangladesh after crossing Strait of Hormuz
The prolonged closure of the strategic maritime route earlier this year had left the Nordic Pollux stranded, triggering a severe shortage of feedstock for Eastern Refinery
A crude oil tanker carrying 1,00,000 tonnes of crude oil for Bangladesh has safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, resuming its voyage to Chattogram Port after being stranded for 115 days due to the closure of the strategic waterway amid the US-Israel war on Iran.
The foreign-flagged vessel, Nordic Pollux, loaded the crude oil from Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura Port on 1 March but became stuck after hostilities broke out, forcing the closure of the strait.
According to officials, the vessel successfully transited the maritime route on Wednesday (24 June) after restrictions were partially eased and is now expected to reach the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port on 6 July.
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Once it arrives, the cargo will be supplied to Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL), the country's sole state-owned oil refinery, where it will be processed before nationwide distribution.
The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC), which is overseeing the transportation on behalf of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), chartered the tanker for the shipment.
The prolonged closure of the strategic maritime route earlier this year had left the Nordic Pollux stranded, triggering a severe shortage of feedstock for Eastern Refinery.
Consequently, the refinery suspended its operations on 14 April due to the lack of crude, which slashed the country's fuel supply by around 20% and created temporary shortages.
To mitigate the crisis, the government resorted to importing refined petroleum products at higher costs, while shifting crude oil imports to alternative routes via Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Yanbu and the UAE's Fujairah port on the Gulf of Oman.
BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek said the corporation had adopted these alternative supply routes immediately after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
"As alternative routes, we have been transporting fuel oil from Yanbu in Saudi Arabia and Fujairah in the UAE. These alternative shipments have allowed us to maintain a normal fuel supply across the country," he said.
Mahmudul confirmed that the Nordic Pollux remained stranded at Ras Tanura from 1 March until this week.
He clarified that although the extensive delay had generated substantial demurrage costs, neither the BSC nor BPC would bear the additional expense.
"Under the terms of the contract, the supplier will bear the demurrage costs. We will resume using the regular Strait of Hormuz route only after the situation there returns to normal," he added.
Officials noted that crude oil imports are currently continuing through the alternative routes, which has allowed Eastern Refinery to remain operational while the situation in the Strait of Hormuz gradually improves.
Bangladesh imports approximately 1.5 million tonnes of crude oil annually under government-to-government agreements with Saudi Arabia's Aramco and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
Saudi crude is typically shipped from Ras Tanura, while UAE crude is exported through Jebel Ali ports, with both conventional routes passing through the Strait of Hormuz before reaching Chattogram.
