IDN FINANCIAL



 

Three tankers operated by Oman, one French owned container ship, and one Japanese owned gas carrier have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Thursday, according to shipping data, reflecting Iran’s policy of allowing vessels it considers friendly to transit.

According to Reuters, Friday (3/4), Iran initially closed the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carries around one fifth of global oil and LNG, after US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late February triggered a wider conflict.

Iran later stated it would allow ships not linked to the United States or Israel to pass.

Oil and commodity markets are watching closely for signs that traffic is returning to normal. Several tankers and container ships managed to pass through the blockade in previous weeks, but those movements were followed by days of complete standstill.

A French owned container ship, CMA CGM, transited the Strait on Thursday, the same day French President Emmanuel Macron said that only diplomatic efforts, not military operations, could reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The French vessel changed its destination on the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to “Owner France” before entering Iranian waters, signalling its nationality to Iranian authorities.
India Ship India Crew

The ships appear to have switched off their AIS transponders during the crossing, as their signals disappeared from vessel tracking data.

Two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and one LNG carrier operated by Oman Shipping Management also exited the Gulf on Thursday, according to MarineTraffic and LSEG data.

Oman, which mediated talks between Iran and the United States before the strikes, criticised the launch of the attacks while negotiations were still underway.

Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said on Friday that the jointly owned LNG carrier Sohar LNG had passed through the Strait of Hormuz, becoming the first Japan linked vessel and the first LNG carrier to do so since the conflict began.

A Mitsui spokesperson declined to tell Reuters when exactly the transit occurred or whether negotiations were required.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Transport, as of Friday morning, around 45 vessels owned or operated by Japanese companies remained stranded in the region.

Another Mitsui owned LPG carrier, Green Sanvi, left the Gulf via Iranian territorial waters earlier on Friday, according to shipping data. The India flagged vessel listed its destination as “India ship India crew”.

In addition, a large Panama flagged gas carrier, Danisa, left the Gulf via the same route heading for China. (YS/LM)