Strait of Hormuz Blockaded, Indonesia Negotiates for Pertamina Ships to Pass Through
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, has revealed that Indonesia is still negotiating with Iran to allow two Pertamina-owned tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Currently, two ships owned by PT Pertamina International Shipping (PIS) remain detained in the Arabian Gulf.
“We are still in continuous communication. It is indeed not easy for us to figure out how to get our ships out of the Strait of Hormuz,” Bahlil said at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy in Jakarta on Friday (27/3/2026).
Only ships from certain countries have recently been permitted to pass through.
The Strait of Hormuz itself is a vital route that supplies around one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Bahlil emphasised that the Indonesian government is continuing to build intensive coordination with Iran to extract the two Indonesian ships from the conflict zone.
The two Indonesian tankers still in the Arabian Gulf are the VLCC Pertamina Pride and the Gamsunoro.
The Gamsunoro is serving cargo for a third-party consumer, while the VLCC Pertamina Pride is transporting a supply of light crude oil to meet domestic energy needs.
Meanwhile, Iran has recently allowed ships from neighbouring countries, such as Thailand and Malaysia, to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The safe passage of these Thai tankers occurred two weeks after a Thai-flagged carrier, Mayuree Naree, was attacked by projectiles in the strait.
According to Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, he held talks with Iran’s Ambassador to Thailand, Nasereddin Heydari, and requested assistance for his country’s ships to pass through the strait safely.
“They responded that they would handle it and asked us to provide a list of the ships that will transit,” Sihasak said, as quoted by the Bangkok Post.
The Malaysian government is currently processing the release of its oil tanker and crew so they can continue their journey home.
“We are now in the process of freeing the Malaysian oil tanker and the workers involved so they can continue their journey home,” said Anwar, quoted from Reuters, on Friday (27/3/2026).