Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd said Friday none of its three affiliated vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz in April carrying liquefied gas paid tolls.
Iran is believed to be seeking tolls from vessels passing through the key waterway amid its effective closure in the war with the United States and Israel that began in late February.
An official at Mitsui O.S.K. declined to comment on the reason for the ships’ passage, saying that “freedom of navigation should be guaranteed based on international law and international rules.” The company does not intend to pay tolls for future transits, the official said.
Multiple Mitsui O.S.K.-linked vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf. The company said final decisions on transiting the strait are left to ship owners, and that it is working with relevant authorities to ensure safe passage.
The three vessels, one carrying liquefied natural gas and two with liquefied petroleum gas, passed through the strait in early April.
A tanker operated by a subsidiary of Japanese oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co also passed through the strait in late April. The vessel did not pay a toll, according to a government source.
© KYODO
