Iraq’s state-owned Oil Tankers Company has transported two million barrels of Iraqi crude aboard a very large crude carrier (VLCC) beyond the Strait of Hormuz, marking the company’s first such operation in decades, according to its Director General Ali Qais. The move allows Iraq to take greater responsibility for transporting its crude beyond the strategic waterway.

The shipment represents a shift from Iraq’s previous practice of selling crude on a free-on-board basis at terminals near Basra, where buyers generally arranged vessels for onward transportation. By arranging the VLCC itself, the state tanker company said Iraq’s state oil marketer could access additional sales and pricing opportunities.

The change comes as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continues to face significant disruptions and security risks. Iraq has been particularly affected because most of its crude exports traditionally move through the waterway. Iraqi authorities have also been pursuing alternative export routes, including options through Turkey, Syria and Jordan. ]

Iraq’s Oil Tankers Company is also discussing the acquisition of specialized crude tankers as it seeks to rebuild and expand its fleet. The latest VLCC operation forms part of broader efforts to maintain the country’s oil exports and provide greater control over transportation amid continuing uncertainty around maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.