Kharg’s Western Terminal Reactivates as the Caspian Corridor Structurally Expands
At a Glance • President Trump stated the U.S. has total control of the Strait of Hormuz via its naval blockade, while Iran said it still controls the waterway and plans a toll system, with no resolution framework in place. • Kharg Island’s western terminal reactivated on August 12 for the first time since July ...
The western terminal at Kharg Island resumed operations on August 12, marking the first activity since July 18. This marks a significant shift after 25 consecutive days of inactivity. The eastern and LPG terminals, however, continue to remain idle for 14 and 17 days respectively. At North Larak anchorage, 35 tanker and cargo vessels are present, an increase from previous days, with dark vessels making up nearly 74% of the cluster.
Iran and Russia's maritime trade in the Caspian Sea has experienced a structural shift, with Russia-Iran movements increasing by 2.9 times and overall volume rising by 2.5 times over the past 164 days following the February 28 blockade escalation. The CAROLINE BEZENGI, a Sierra Leone-flagged Suezmax tanker, continues to create a large oil slick, now spanning around 390-400 square kilometers, up from 20 square kilometers on July 31.
Projections suggest the spill could expand by approximately 121 kilometers within the next 48 hours. This marks the first news of commercial activity at the reactivated terminal, adding to the growing tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Written by urgent.news from Hellenic Shipping News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
