A BP tanker is underway again after allegedly sheltering in the Middle East Gulf due to an Iranian threat against UK shipping.
AIS data from Tuesday showed the 158,000-dwt suezmax British Heritage (built 2017) awaiting orders, with no destination listed.
But it was underway at 15 knots off Qatar, heading south-east.
The draft has barely changed since entering the Gulf at the start of the month, Bloomberg tracking data showed.
BP is not commenting on the situation.
Sources cited by Bloomberg said the tanker was being kept away from the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week because of fears of a seizure by Iran.
The oil major was reportedly concerned that the 158,000-dwt British Heritage (built 2017) could be detained by Iran in a tit-for-tat row over UK territory Gibraltar's arrest of a VLCC last week.
The 301,000-dwt Grace 1 (built 1997) was alleged to have been heading for Syria with Iranian crude, in breach of EU sanctions. It was boarded by British marines.
Basrah loading "cancelled"
Bloomberg claimed the BP ship was heading to load crude at Iraq’s Basrah oil terminal when it turned around on 6 July.
The UK-flagged tanker had been chartered by Shell to carry the oil to north-west Europe, brokers said.
The fixture has been cancelled, the report added.
On Friday, Iran threatened to hold a UK vessel as a result of the Gibraltar incident.
