Two Pertamina Tankers Stranded in Persian Gulf

Two tanker ships belonging to Pertamina remain stranded in the Persian Gulf as of April 11, 2026, following the closure of strategic routes by Iran at the end of February. The situation persists despite a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States that was agreed upon on April 7, 2026.

The stranded vessels are identified as the Pertamina Pride and the Gamsunoro. According to reports from Tempo.co, the Pertamina Pride is managed by NYK, while the Gamsunoro is managed by Synergy Ship Management.

Requirements for Safe Passage

Iranian Ambassador to Indonesia Mohammad Boroujerdi shared updates regarding the conditions at the Strait of Hormuz on April 11, 2026, during a meeting at Paramadina University in East Jakarta. Boroujerdi stated that the area remains out of the ordinary and highly sensitive due to the influence of recent conflict.

Boroujerdi explained that any ship seeking to pass through the Strait of Hormuz must adhere to protocols established by local security authorities. He described these procedures as necessary measures to secure a region of high strategic value.

Beyond adhering to security protocols, Boroujerdi noted that commercial ships are required to undergo a negotiation process with relevant parties. This mechanism involves Iranian security guards, who serve as the authorities in the region.

The Iranian Ambassador did not specify the exact details of the protocols that Pertamina must follow to allow the two tankers to secure safe passage.

Operational Status of PIS Fleet

PT Pertamina International Shipping (PIS) has been monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of its crew and the continuity of energy distribution operations. In a statement on March 2, 2026, PIS Acting Corporate Secretary Vega Pita reported that four vessels were operating in the region at that time.

Of those four vessels, the Pertamina Pride and the Gamsunoro were the two remaining in the gulf. Specifically, the Gamsunoro was loading in Khor al-Zubair, Iraq, while the Pertamina Pride had completed loading in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, but remained stuck in the gulf.

The other two PIS vessels were reported to be in relatively safer locations. The PIS Rinjani was anchored in Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, and the PIS Paragon was unloading in Oman.

Personnel Safety in the Middle East

In addition to fleet management, PIS is monitoring the safety of its employees based in the Middle East. The company operates a PIS Middle East entity in Dubai, which includes approximately 30 employees and their families.

Vega Pita confirmed on March 2, 2026, that all workers in Dubai were safe. The employees were instructed by the Indonesian representative in the region to increase vigilance and report any emergencies.

The PIS fleet team continues to coordinate with management to monitor the situation 24 hours a day, with the goal of removing the two stranded vessels from the risk area.