Two container vessels operated by the Chinese shipping giant COSCO have safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, exiting the Gulf, according to Al Arabiya.
Data from Marine Traffic showed that the CSCL Indian Ocean transited the strait at approximately 09:14 GMT on Monday, followed 27 minutes later by the CSCL Arctic Ocean.
Both container ships sailed in close proximity to Larak Island, which is under Iranian control, and are en route to Port Klang.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting its leadership and triggering a new conflict in the Middle East.
Iran has been responding with a retaliatory counterattack in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi as a retaliatory move, while launching barrages of missiles and drones toward Israel.
The conflict has spread across the Middle East, leaving thousands dead, triggering unprecedented disruptions to energy supplies especially after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
As a critical waterway, the Strait of Hormuz handles approximately a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil and roughly one‑fifth of all liquefied natural gas flows.
Due to the escalating tensions, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the waterway was unsafe. Therefore, the authorities halted ship movements.
Iran has declared that the strait remains accessible to vessels from “friendly countries,” while blocking passage for those it considers adversaries.
Chinese ships have successfully passed through the strait due to the healthy diplomatic ties with between Beijing and Tehran.
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