KUALA LUMPUR: Seven Malaysian-owned vessels previously stranded in the Strait of Hormuz are successfully navigating the strategic waterway in stages, with the majority having already cleared the passage following heightened regional tensions. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed the ships' status on Friday (April 10) following a high-level briefing from PETRONAS president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik. The update comes amid ongoing maritime concerns sparked by the conflict between Iran and the United States-Israel alliance, which began on Feb 28. The Prime Minister’s announcement follows recent assurances from Iranian Ambassador to Malaysia Valiollah Mohammadi that the vessels would be permitted to transit the strait in phases. The maritime bottleneck had caused brief concern regarding the consistency of Malaysia's energy imports, given the strait’s critical role in global oil transit.

Source: The Star April 10, 2026 14:55 UTC