Successfully Passed, Pertamina Pride and Gamsunoro Crews Tell the Tense Moment Crossing the Strait of Hormuz

The tanker Gamsunoro is at the Kuzey Star Shipyard, Tuzla, Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo: ANTARA File)

JAKARTA - The crew of the VLCC Pertamina Pride finally felt relieved after successfully leaving the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most strategic and risky shipping routes in the world amid rising geopolitical tensions.

"We are happy to finally be out of Hormuz," said Second Officer Pertamina Pride, Rizqi Rafif in a statement to the media, Thursday, August 6.

Rizqi and 22 other crew members have been serving for months in the Arabian Gulf area.

Pertamina Pride successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz on July 8 and arrived safely in Indonesia on July 24.

On the same occasion, PIS management also greeted the crew of MT Gamsunoro who first crossed the Strait of Hormuz on June 25. The ship is now back in operation serving third-party customers in Singapore waters.

During the voyage, he continued, the ship takes about eight hours to complete the track, including about four hours passing the most critical point in the Strait of Hormuz. Pertamina Pride also faces a relatively similar sailing duration.

The ship's crew told of the different challenges they experienced, from selecting the course in the midst of dynamic conditions to interference with the GPS system that required extra vigilance from the entire navigation team.

"We were worried. In situations like this, the question arises which side to follow. GPS also experienced jamming. You could say we were very lucky to get through all of this safely," said Rifqi.

On the same occasion, the Third Officer on the Gamsunoro, Daryl Josua Makaminang, admitted that the war situation had caused concern for all the ship's crew.

Gamsunoro crossed the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz with the escort of the US Navy.

In fact, just a day after the ship managed to pass, there was an attack on another ship in the area.

"We were certainly quite worried about the war situation at that time. Thank God we were able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz safely," he said.

President Director of PT Pertamina International Shipping Surya Tri Harto conveyed his highest appreciation to all the ship's crew who were judged to have managed the situation calmly and professionally amid the escalating conflict in the region.

"This success is not only about operational discipline, but also about humanity. Since the ship entered the Gulf area, we have continued to monitor the development of the crew's condition. The safety of all crew members has always been our top priority, even before cargo and operational activities," said Surya.

He specifically conveyed a message that all crew members should always prioritize safety during duty.

"For us, you are heroes. In normal conditions, sailors have to face waves, wind, and the ocean. In the Strait of Hormuz, you face a much greater risk. May all the crew be safe on every subsequent voyage and the world situation can improve soon," he added.

PT Pertamina International Shipping's President Commissioner Anwar Saadi also expressed gratitude that all the crew members had managed to pass through the situation safely.

"Over the past few months we have continued to follow the developments and are very concerned about the safety of the crew. Today we are grateful to see all the Pertamina Pride and Gamsunoro crew in good health and able to smile again."

He also expressed his appreciation to the captains and all the ship's crew who had shown patience, professionalism, and high dedication in maintaining the safety of the ship, crew, and cargo while crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

After successfully passing the Gulf area, the two ships focused on restoring the fleet's performance to support the next voyage.

MT Gamsunoro has undergone hull cleaning which will encourage an increase in the ship's speed.

Meanwhile, Pertamina Pride carried out underwater hull cleaning as part of preparations for the next voyage.