Half-Full Tanker Heading to Japan Highlights Scramble for Oil

A partially filled supertanker heading to Japan after receiving its Middle Eastern oil cargo via a ship transfer at sea highlights the desperate measures the nation’s refiners are taking to secure supply quickly.

The Bright Horizon, a very-large crude carrier, is currently sailing south from waters off Mumbai, signaling Japan’s Kiire as its destination, according to ship-tracking data. The tanker received the cargo of Omani oil from a Suezmax called Shenlong on Monday through an offshore transfer.