Two Chinese Container Ships Exit Strait Of Hormuz On Second Attempt After Failed Transit

Two Chinese container ships linked to COSCO have successfully sailed out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz after aborting an earlier attempt just days ago, according to ship-tracking data.

The vessels, CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean, resumed their journey on Monday morning from waters off Dubai.

They headed northeast toward the narrow channel between Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands, which lies at the entrance of the strait.

Data from MarineTraffic later showed both ships moving out of the strait into open waters while sailing close to each other.

The two vessels belong to Cosco Shipping Lines, a subsidiary of China’s state-owned COSCO Shipping Corp. Each ship can carry around 19,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), placing them among large-capacity container carriers operating on global trade routes.

The latest transit comes after both ships turned back on Friday during their first attempt to exit the Gulf. At the time, they reversed course near Iranian waters for reasons that were not immediately clear.

During both attempts, the vessels broadcast signals indicating Chinese ownership and crew onboard. This appeared to be a precautionary move to reduce risks while passing through the sensitive waterway.

The two ships had been in the Persian Gulf for more than a month since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.

Since then, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been limited. Iran has been controlling movements in the area, and only some vessels approved by Tehran, including certain liquefied petroleum gas carriers, have been able to pass.

Officials from COSCO were not available for comment regarding the transit or the earlier aborted attempt.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a key route for global trade, and vessel movements in the region are still being closely watched.

References: Bloomberg, Reuters