Iranian tanker is exercising UNCLOS rights of passage, RI MoFA

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stated that Iranian supertankers, which were sailing in Indonesian waters after evading the US blockade in Hormuz Strait, were exercising their right of passage according to the international laws.

The ministry spokesperson, Yvonne Mewengkang, said the Indonesian government has taken note of the presence of foreign vessels, including Iran's, in Indonesian waters and has conducted verification and internal coordination.

"The Indonesian government viewed the ships as exercising their right of passage according to international laws," Mewengkang said on her written remarks here on Tuesday.

She added the rule of navigation in any areas, including Indonesia, is subject to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which respects all passage regimes in respective maritime zones.

Indonesian authorities, including the Foreign Ministry, will closely monitor the ongoing developments and communicate with relevant parties through appropriate diplomatic channels.

An Iranian supertanker carrying nearly US$200 million worth of oil has been detected entering Indonesian waters on the weekend.

As announced by TankerTrackers on their social media on Sunday (May 3), the VLCC supertanker operated by National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) has reached Indonesian waters after evading US blockade efforts on the Hormuz Strait.

The vessel, identified as HUGE (9357183), was last seen off Sri Lanka more than a week ago and was moving through the Lombok Strait in Indonesia toward the Riau Archipelago.

On Monday (May 4), TankerTrackers announced the second Iranian supertanker has been detected entering the Lombok Strait with Iranian crude oil.

"A second such tanker, named DERYA (9569700), is doing the same," the company said, referring to the first supertanker.

TankerTrackers explained that the second supertanker attempted to deliver 1.88 million barrels of oil to India in mid-April during the sanction waiver window, but that did not work out and it sailed southward. The second supertanker is also underway to her rendezvous point in the Riau Archipelago.

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