Several ships have now passed through the strait of Hormuz, according to reports, as shipping companies and international leaders scramble to get vital cargo through the waterway.
A container ship owned by the French shipping company CMA CGM had sailed out of the Gulf, the Financial Times reported, citing the tracking data analyst MarineTraffic.
It is believed to be the first ship owned by a western shipping line to have made the journey through the strait, which in normal times carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies and has been effectively closed since the start of the war in Iran in late February.
The CMA CGM Kribi ship, which sails under the flag of Malta, is reported to have switched on its transponder near the coast off Dubai on 28 March before passing through the strait with cargo.
The vessel then reportedly went around Larak Island, near the coast of Iran, which has become a popular route for ships making the transit.
The blockade has pushed up oil and gas prices around the world, and concerns are growing about food security, as a third of the global trade in raw materials for fertiliser normally passes through the strait.
Three tankers linked to Oman had also sailed through the channel, the FT said, without taking the northern route next to the Iranian island. One of them was a liquefied natural gas tanker co-owned by the Japanese company Mitsui OSK Lines.
The Sohar LNG tanker, which sails under the flag of Panama, has made the journey, according to a statement made to Reuters. Mitsui OSK declined to disclose when the vessel had crossed the strait and whether it had made any negotiations to do so.
This week the UK’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, said coordinated action was needed to pressure Iran into reopening the strait, after a virtual meeting of more than 40 countries. She also said that Britain would “comprehensively reject” any attempt to charge ships multimillion-dollar fees to pass through the strait, which has been nicknamed “Tehran’s tollbooth”.
One option being considered by the UN is whether a humanitarian shipping corridor can be opened to ensure fertiliser gets through, to prevent food shortages in poorer countries.
International leaders are expected to meet next week to discuss whether it may be possible to clear sea mines and rescue trapped ships in the strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump claimed on Friday that the US could “easily” open up the strait but that doing so would require “a little more time”.
The US president wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social: “With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD???”
A spokesperson for CMA CGM declined to comment.
