Pakistan has started importing crude oil through the Red Sea route following the disruption of shipping activities in the Strait of Hormuz, according to shipping sources.
Sources said a vessel of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) has reached the Saudi port of Yanbu Port. The ship is expected to depart for Karachi on Thursday carrying around 73,000 tons of crude oil for Pakistan.
Shipping officials said another PNSC vessel, Shalamar, also succeeded in loading oil despite the prevailing war-risk conditions in the region.
According to the sources, the vessel Shalamar departed from Fujairah after loading oil and is currently on its way to Karachi.
However, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted regular shipping routes, leaving two PNSC vessels stranded near Karachi and at chartered anchorage points, sources added.
The development highlights the growing logistical challenges in regional oil transportation as shipping companies seek alternative routes to maintain energy supplies.