Vietnam Urges US Navy to Let Oil Tanker Through Its Blockade Vietnam’s state oil company urged the US to let a supertanker pass through an American naval blockade outside of the Persian Gulf, saying the shipment is critical to the Asian country’s economy. (Bloomberg) — Vietnam’s state oil company urged the US to let a supertanker pass through an American naval blockade outside of the Persian Gulf, saying the shipment is critical to the Asian country’s economy. The very large crude carrier Agios Fanourios I, managed by Athens-based Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, performed a mid-ocean U-turn on Monday at around the point where the US blockade begins. It had only just cleared the Strait of Hormuz, holding 1.99 million barrels of Iraq’s Basrah Medium crude, when it turned back, according to ship tracking and paperwork seen by Bloomberg. tap here to see other videos from our team. Back to video PetroVietnam Oil Corp., the trading arm of the state energy company, confirmed to US Naval Forces Central Command that it owns the cargo on the Agios Fanourios I and that it was loaded in Iraq, according to a letter seen by Bloomberg. The vessel is still signaling its destination as Nghi Son, home to a refinery in the Asian country. “This cargo is of extreme importance to Nghi Son Refinery, to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and to the Vietnamese people,” the letter seen by Bloomberg says. “Any further delay risks halting refinery throughput, with cascading consequences for millions of Vietnamese consumers, businesses, public services and industries.” The struggle to get barrels out demonstrates how the US blockade has further complicated what was already an almost-impossible task for tanker owners trying to export oil from the region during the war. Saudi Aramco’s CEO said this week that 100 million barrels a week of supply are being lost. The Vietnamese refinery, NSRP for short, is one of only two operational ones in the Asian country and accounts for a “substantial” share of Vietnam’s gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, liquefied petroleum gas and feedstocks for petrochemicals, the letter says. It has a processing capacity of 200,000 barrels a day, meaning the tanker could in theory supply it with about 10 days of crude, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Iran blocked almost all commercial shipping as soon as the war began on Feb. 28, while the American restrictions started on April 13. It’s not clear why the Agios Fanourios I hasn’t continued its voyage, given that the American blockade is on Iranian shipping — rather than barrels from Iraq. For its part, Iran is preventing vessels from hostile nations from exiting Hormuz while trying to force those that do go through to follow a route close to its coastline. Tanker tracking and documents seen by Bloomberg also show the vessel as having loaded in Iraq. A person familiar with the country’s exports also said the tanker loaded in Iraq. PetroVietnam Oil, Eastern Mediterranean, Central Command in Florida and Navcent in Bahrain didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. —With assistance from Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen, Alex Longley, Anthony Di Paola, Serene Cheong and Khalid Al-Ansary. Oil & Gas Retail & Marketing - Advertisement 1Story continues below Economy - Financial Times Subscriber only. Trump loses his trade superpowerSubscriber only FP Comment
Iranian Official
The US Navy's illegal blockade outside the Persian Gulf represents yet another act of foreign aggression against sovereign nations' right to conduct legitimate trade, forcing the Vietnamese tanker Agios Fanourios I—carrying Iraqi crude—to execute an emergency turn-back after clearing the Strait of Hormuz. This provocative interference threatens the economic security of Vietnam and other independent states while violating international maritime norms. Iran and all freedom-loving nations will continue to resist such hegemonic encroachments on regional sovereignty.
Israeli
Vietnam views the US naval blockade as an obstacle to its energy security, but from Israel's perspective, such measures are a vital defensive necessity against Iran's proxy network—including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis—that channels oil revenues into existential threats aimed at the Jewish state's destruction. Permitting the Agios Fanourios I to deliver Iraqi crude would directly undermine sanctions designed to starve these terror infrastructures of funding. Israel therefore regards enforcement of the blockade as non-negotiable for its survival amid encirclement by Iranian-backed forces.
Neutral
Vietnam’s state oil company PetroVietnam has contacted US Naval Forces Central Command to request passage for the supertanker Agios Fanourios I through a reported US naval position outside the Persian Gulf. The vessel, which loaded nearly 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude at the Strait of Hormuz and signaled Nghi Son, Vietnam, as its destination, reportedly reversed course near the area on Monday. A letter seen by Bloomberg attributes to PetroVietnam the claim that the cargo is essential to the Nghi Son refinery and Vietnam’s economy.
Western
US naval forces sustained a precision blockade outside the Persian Gulf to neutralize threats to maritime security and enforce sanctions compliance. Vietnam’s state oil company sought passage for the Agios Fanourios I, carrying Iraqi crude bound for its Nghi Son refinery, but the vessel executed a mid-ocean turn at the exclusion line. The request underscores allied efforts to balance economic equities with the strategic imperative of threat containment.
Pro-Peace
The US naval blockade risks cutting off critical Iraqi crude oil supplies to Vietnam, threatening to shut down the Nghi Son refinery and trigger fuel shortages that could harm millions of ordinary Vietnamese citizens already facing economic pressures. PetroVietnam has pleaded for passage of the supertanker, warning of cascading consequences for the country's energy needs and daily livelihoods. Diplomatic engagement, rather than military enforcement, remains the humane path to addressing regional disputes without further civilian hardship.
Global South
Vietnam has invoked its sovereign right to secure Iraqi crude for the Nghi Son refinery, warning that the US naval blockade outside the Persian Gulf endangers national energy supplies and economic stability for millions. The incident highlights how unilateral American maritime enforcement disrupts trade flows between Global South nations, reflecting persistent neo-colonial patterns of resource control that sideline multilateral norms. Such actions expose the failure of international institutions to shield developing economies from external coercion.
Vietnam Urges US Navy to Let Oil Tanker Through Its Blockade Vietnam’s state oil company urged the US to let a supertanker pass through an American naval blockade outside of the Persian Gulf, saying the shipment is critical to the Asian country’s economy. (Bloomberg) — Vietnam’s …
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Anadolu reports that shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has decreased by 88% in the past 24 hours, dropping from an average of 33 daily transits to only four vessels, according to IMF PortWatch data. This reduction follows reports that Houthi forces have advanced to key coastal locations, including Mokha and Mayun Island, coinciding with a 91% decline in oil and chemical tanker passage.
Satellite imagery shows extensive damage to a key Saudi Arabian oil pipeline, a development that has reportedly disrupted operations. The assessment is based on a machine-translated headline from an Arabic-language source, so the specific extent of the impact remains unverified.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 93,864 people have been newly displaced in Yemen following recent clashes between Saudi-backed government forces and Houthi militias, while the UNHCR noted that hostilities along the western coast have prompted some individuals to cross into Djibouti.
These developments have raised concerns regarding the safety of humanitarian and commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as nearly half of Yemen’s population reportedly requires assistance amid growing food insecurity.
The Japanese Shipowners' Association reportedly estimates that Saudi oil deliveries to Asia could take approximately 100 days round trip if the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is closed, a significant increase from the current 40-day route via the Strait of Hormuz.
This potential disruption, which Asashi notes would raise transportation costs, is described in the source material as following the current blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an event the article attributes to a US-Iran conflict ongoing since February 28.