Pertamina says two vessels remain in Strait of Hormuz

State energy company PT Pertamina said two of its vessels remain in the Strait of Hormuz despite the reopening of the strategic shipping route following a memorandum of understanding signed this week between the United States and Iran to begin peace talks.

Muhammad Baron, Pertamina's vice president of corporate communication, said the company was closely monitoring developments and coordinating with Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant authorities to ensure the safety of crews, cargoes and company assets.

The two vessels, the very large crude carrier (VLCC) Pertamina Pride and tanker Gamsunoro, have remained in the area for more than three months, according to Pertamina.

Baron said one vessel was transporting crude oil from the Middle East to Indonesia, while the other was carrying cargo for third-party customers.

Through its shipping arm, Pertamina International Shipping, the company is coordinating efforts to enable both vessels to resume their scheduled voyages, including shipments intended to support Indonesia's domestic energy supplies.

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil exports, has begun reopening to commercial shipping after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at launching peace talks. Oil tanker traffic and commercial vessel crossings have started to increase, although global shipping flows are expected to take months to return to normal levels.

Despite the disruption, Baron said Indonesia's energy security remained unaffected.

"There is no problem. We ask for your prayers for the continued resilience of Indonesia's energy security," he said, as quoted by Warta Ekonomi.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of the world's oil consumption and is one of the most important chokepoints for global energy trade. Any disruption to shipping through the waterway can affect crude oil and fuel supplies worldwide.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak