The Comoros-flagged oil tanker HELGA (a very large crude carrier, or VLCC) arrived at one of Iraq’s southern offshore oil loading terminals near Basra on Friday (April 24, 2026). It is preparing to load approximately 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil.

This marks only the second such tanker to reach Basra’s southern offshore terminals since the Strait of Hormuz was closed amid the ongoing Iran-related conflict (often referred to in reports as the “Iran war”). The first was the Malta-flagged tanker Agios Fanourios 1, which anchored earlier this month and also loaded roughly 2 million barrels of Basra crude.

The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow chokepoint through which about 20% of globally traded oil normally passes.

Iran has closed or severely restricted the strait at times during the conflict, including responses to U.S. blockades of Iranian ports and related military actions. Shipping traffic has plummeted — Reuters noted only five ships passed through in the past 24 hours (versus a normal daily average of ~140).

These arrivals at Basra show limited resumption of Iraqi oil export activity via offshore terminals, even as tensions and risks (mines, attacks on shipping, etc.) persist in the Gulf.

Iraq’s Basra region is a major crude export hub, and these loadings are significant for global oil supply amid the disruptions.

Drone images from Reuters show the HELGA moored at the terminal. Shipping data (including recent AIS) aligns with the reports of its arrival.

This fits into the broader 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis, where geopolitical tensions between Iran, the U.S., and allies have repeatedly disrupted maritime traffic.

While two tankers have now loaded, the overall flow remains heavily constrained.