South Korean Sinokor Group Handles Nearly 40% of September Hormuz Oil Transits

Ship-tracking and intelligence data indicate that Sinokor Group, a relatively obscure South Korean shipowner, transported 105.6 million barrels of crude through the Strait of Hormuz in September, accounting for almost 40% of all oil transits that month. By comparison, the combined volume moved by the three next-largest owners - National Shipping of Saudi Arabia (Bahri), Kuwait Oil Tanker Company and Abu Dhabi National Oil's shipping subsidiary - was 97.3 million barrels.

The company, owned by businessman Ga Hyun-chung, expanded its fleet early in the Iran-Israel war by acquiring tankers at premium rates, positioning itself for the shuttling trade that moves oil from Gulf ports through Hormuz to ship-to-ship transfer zones in the Gulf of Oman. Recent data show its vessels are active on routes from Saudi Arabia and the UAE and have recently added shipments from Iraq and Qatar. None of the four owners responded to requests for comment. The dominance of Sinokor highlights the shifting logistics landscape as Gulf crude exports rebound toward pre-war levels.