中東のかわりに…“急に原油タンカーが殺到”のアメリカ港湾　日本の超巨大タンカーも…“約3倍”の日数、高い輸送コストでも米へ｜TBS NEWS DIG

Three months have passed since the US and Israel launched their attacks on Iran. With the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continuing, American ports are seeing a surge in crude oil tankers, replacing the Middle East. Among them was a giant Japanese tanker. In Corpus Christi, Texas, in the southern United States, an unusual phenomenon is occurring at the country's largest crude oil export port. Reporter: "Three tankers are docked in the crude oil loading dock. The port is operating at almost full capacity." With crude oil from the Middle East disrupted by the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, tankers are flocking to the US as an alternative source. Since March, the volume of crude oil exported from this port has surged to record levels. Corpus Christi Port official, Mr. Garcia: "April's handling volume was the highest ever. This is a direct result of the escalating tensions in the Middle East." A giant crude oil tanker arrived again today. Reporter: "It says 'Tsugaru' on it. It's a Japanese crude oil tanker. It has just arrived at the port of Corpus Christi after a journey of approximately two months." The tanker that arrived is 333 meters long, the same length as the Tokyo Tower. It can carry more than half the amount of crude oil consumed in Japan in a day, and until now it has mainly traveled between the Middle East and Japan. This time, it rounded the Cape of Good Hope in Africa and arrived in the United States after a journey of about 60 days, roughly three times longer than its voyage from Japan to the Middle East. Corpus Christi Port official, Mr. Garcia: "U.S. crude oil companies play an extremely important role in 'national security' in Asia and Europe." A total of 19 crude oil tankers bound for Japan departed from this port in March and April. This two-month period alone exceeds the total number for last year. US President Trump "I simply told the great energy workers in Texas, 'Drill! Drill! Drill some more!'" The Trump administration, aiming to eliminate the trade deficit, is positive about expanding crude oil exports, and last month, for the first time since World War II, exports temporarily exceeded imports, making the US a "crude oil exporting country." Visiting the largest oil field region in the US, which is the "production site"... It is said that more companies are increasing production of crude oil and other resources in response to the tense situation in the Middle East. However... Mr. Robertson, executive of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association "The 'Drill, Drill, Drill some more' atmosphere is not seen on the ground right now. It's slow and far more cautious." Due to the difficulty in predicting the future of crude oil prices and strict environmental regulations, the movement to increase production is limited to a few areas. Although those on the ground are cautious about increasing production, Japan will likely continue to have to rely on alternative procurement from the US for the time being, even while paying high transportation costs. ▼TBS NEWS DIG Official Website: https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/ ▼Subscribe to our channel [Easier access to the latest news]    / @tbsnewsdig   ▼NEWS DIG Latest News [Important information close at hand] https://www.google.com/preferences/so... ▼Submit information here: "TBS Insiders" https://www.tbs.co.jp/news_sp/tbs-ins... ▼Submit video here: "TBS Scoop Submission" https://www.tbs.co.jp/news_sp/toukou.... #news #TBS #newsdig