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Chinese ships halt attempt to exit Hormuz despite Iran safe passage assurances
The two Hong Kong-flagged ships have been stranded since Feb. 28 amid Iran's selective passage policy affecting 20,000 seafarers in the Gulf, analysts said.
- On Friday, two Chinese container ships—the CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean—attempted to exit the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz but turned back, ship-tracking data showed. Both vessels have been stuck in the region since the US-Israeli war began on Feb. 28.
- Iran had previously claimed it 'permitted passage through the Strait of Hormuz for friendly nations including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan.' However, Tehran's circular to the International Maritime Organization stated that 'aggressor parties' like the United States and Israel do not qualify for transit.
- COSCO had resumed bookings for general cargo containers for shipments from Asia on March 25, yet Kpler analyst Rebecca Gerdes observed that Friday's incident proved 'safe passage could not be guaranteed.' This was the first attempt by a major shipping group since the conflict started.
- President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Iran was letting 10 oil tankers transit the strait as a 'goodwill gesture,' though no details emerged about these vessels. Other ships, including Indian-flagged tankers and a Thai oil tanker, have passed through following diplomatic coordination with Tehran.
- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated during a call with his Pakistani counterpart that initiating peace talks would be 'conducive to restoring normal navigation.' Iran's restrictions continue to strand 20,000 seafarers and hundreds of vessels inside the Gulf.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Chinese Ships Make U-Turn as Iran Blocks Certain Traffic
Two big Chinese container ships had their plans abruptly changed near one of the world's most strategic chokepoints on Friday. The CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean, both operated by China's state-owned Cosco, made sharp U-turns near Iran's Larak Island instead of crossing the Strait of Hormuz, ship-tracking data...
2 Chinese Vessels Reverse Course in Strait of Hormuz During Attempted Transit
Two container ships operated by China’s COSCO Shipping Holdings turned back while attempting to exit the Strait of Hormuz early on March 27, according to ship-tracking data. The vessels, CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean, attempted to transit the strait but reversed course at around 3:20 a.m. and 3:50 a.m. UTC, ship-tracking service MarineTraffic said in a March 27 post on X. MarineTraffic said the ships were part of COSCO’s MEX service wi…
Two Cosco vessels turn back after attempting passage - Anadolu Ajansı
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