Japan-linked oil tankers appear to be resuming direct crude loadings in parts of the Middle East for the first time since war began in February, Rigzone reported. The tentative return comes amid sharply higher freight and logistics costs, although the vessels identified have not entered the Persian Gulf.
For more than seven months, Japanese refiners and shipowners largely avoided the region, instead collecting cargoes through ship-to-ship transfers off India or in Southeast Asia. That approach protected vessels, crews and oil cargoes but increased reliance on sellers and reduced opportunities for higher profits, according to the report. Japanese tankers that remained around the Gulf had generally been departing, sometimes after months stranded there.
Ship-tracking data cited by Rigzone showed that the Idemitsu Maru, a supertanker owned by Idemitsu Kosan, reached Japan earlier this month carrying a full cargo of Omani crude loaded at Mina Al Fahal. The vessel had left the Gulf in April. Shipbrokers also expected at least two other very large crude carriers controlled by Japanese companies to arrive at Fujairah in the coming days to load cargoes for Japan.
The movements do not signal a return to transits through the Strait of Hormuz. Responding to Bloomberg enquiries, Idemitsu said its position on sending vessels through the strait remained unchanged, while stressing its commitment to dependable crude procurement and safe transport. Hidenori Watanave of the University of Tokyo Graduate School characterised the activity as a selective return that balanced safety against transport efficiency, rather than a broad move into riskier waters.
Japanese operators are also increasing ship-to-ship transfers in Middle Eastern waters. After starting on a small scale in August, volumes reached nearly 3.7 million barrels by early October, compared with about 4 million barrels throughout September, Rigzone reported. Watanave said avoiding additional charges and delays through direct voyages was likely one motivation. The supply stakes remain substantial: Kpler data cited in the report put the Middle East's share of Japan's roughly 823 million barrels of crude imports in 2025 at 93%, with Japanese refineries configured for the region's medium-sour and light grades.