Formosa Plastics’ “Jun-Shan Wheel” has passed the Strait of Hormuz! It is currently transporting 2 million barrels of crude oil toward Taiwan’s Mailiao Port

As tensions in the Middle East flare up again and again, the Strait of Hormuz has once more become the focus of Taiwan’s energy security. Last Saturday (April 18), more than 20 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Among the vessels drawing the most attention in the Taiwan market is the large tanker “Jun Shan Lun (Fpmc C Lord)” of Formosa Petrochemical Shipping. Carrying about 2.0 million barrels of crude oil from Saudi Arabia, this tanker flies the flag of Liberia and is en route to Taiwan’s Mailiao Port.

Formosa Petrochemical’s Jun Shan Lun carrying 2.0 million barrels of crude oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz

According to a Finance Times report, last Saturday (April 18) more than 20 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz, and among them, drawing the most attention in the Taiwan market is the large tanker “Jun Shan Lun (Fpmc C Lord)” under Formosa Petrochemical Shipping. Flying the flag of Liberia, the tanker is carrying about 2.0 million barrels of crude oil from Saudi Arabia and is heading toward Taiwan’s Mailiao Port, showing that even under the shadow of regional conflict, Taiwan’s critical energy supplies still have to cross this most sensitive global oil shipping route.

Citing data from Reuters and shipping analytics firm Kpler, Finance Times said that on April 18, the number of vessels that passed through the Strait of Hormuz exceeded 20, setting a new high since March 1.

Taiwan’s energy supply chain still depends heavily on whether the Strait of Hormuz is safe or not. The cargoes carried by the vessels passing through this area include key energy and petrochemical feedstocks such as crude oil, petroleum products feedstock, and liquefied petroleum gas, with destinations including Taiwan, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Italy. Among them, the 2.0 million barrels of Saudi crude oil carried by Jun Shan Lun will be shipped to Mailiao Port, more directly affecting the stability of feedstock supply to Taiwan’s petrochemical and refining systems.

Trump’s latest remarks explicitly indicate he will seek regime change in Iran

Meanwhile, U.S. President Trump has for the first time used the term “Regime Change” directly in a public statement—namely, explicitly calling for a “regime change” in Iran. The White House’s official X account has reposted related posts, making this stance no longer just campaign-style talk. This differs from the framework in the past, when the U.S. merely focused on nuclear plans, sanctions, or regional proxies. It suggests that Washington’s logic for pressuring Iran may be shifting from short-term military and negotiation games to long-term attrition and confrontation at the regime level.

If this assessment holds, then the risk in the Strait of Hormuz would no longer be limited to a blockade and subsequent reopening lasting days or weeks—it could evolve into a longer period of high-pressure standoff. In the post, Trump, on the one hand, cuts off the claim of “Israel dragging the U.S. into the water,” emphasizing that taking a hard line toward Iran is his own decision. On the other hand, he compares the future situation in Iran with Venezuela, hinting that the U.S. may not be pursuing a one-time military endpoint, but more likely employing a parallel approach that includes sanctions, energy blockades, diplomatic isolation, and sustained long-term pressure.

For the market, this means Middle East risk premia may not fade quickly, and shipping and energy markets may need to prepare for longer-tail volatility.

This article Formosa Petrochemical’s “Jun Shan Lun” has passed through the Strait of Hormuz! It is now carrying 2.0 million barrels of crude oil en route to Taiwan’s Mailiao Port first appeared on Chain News ABMedia.