STORY: An oil tanker carrying 1 million barrels of Middle Eastern crude arrived off the coast of Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, on Friday (May 8), offering some relief to South Korea's refining industry amid concerns over prolonged disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The tanker, the Odessa, is scheduled to unload the crude at storage tanks operated by HD Hyundai Oilbank. The volume is equivalent to about half of South Korea's daily crude consumption.

The Odessa is believed to have passed through the Strait of Hormuz on April 13, shortly before the key waterway was blocked for a second time. Another tanker, the Zhujen, which also exited the strait, is expected to arrive at Onsan in Ulsan on May 12 and deliver 1 million barrels of crude to S-Oil.

Late Thursday (May 7), the first tanker to reach South Korea via the Red Sea, an alternative route bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, arrived in the country. GS Caltex received 2 million barrels of crude from the vessel in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, Yonhap reported.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Oil tanker arrives at South Korean port after passing through Strait of Hormuz

VIDEO SHOWS: OIL TANKER 'ODESSA' APPROACHING A SOUTH KOREAN PORT/ TUGBOATS TOWING THE OIL TANKER INTO PORT/ OIL REFINERIES AND RELATED FACILITIES

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SHOWS: SEOSAN, SOUTH KOREA (MAY 8, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF OIL TANKER ‘ODESSA’ APPROACHING DAESAN PORT

2. VARIOUS OF TUGBOATS APPROACHING TO THE OIL TANKER

3. VARIOUS OF TUGBOATS TOWING THE OIL TANKER TO THE PORT

4. VARIOUS OIL REFINERIES AND RELATED FACILITIES AT THE PORT