French, Japanese warships cross Hormuz in first 'freedom' transit since Iran war began

While the war in Iran continues to rage on, several vessels have now passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade appeared to be relaxed at a time when shipping companies and international leaders are scrambling to get vital cargo through the waterways.

According to a report by the Financial Times, a container ship owned by the French shipping company CMA CGM had sailed out of the Gulf, citing the tracking data analyst MarineTraffic. It is now believed to be the first ship owned by a Western shipping line to have made the journey through the Strait since the start of the war.

In normal times, the crucial waterways carried about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies and have been effectively closed since the start of the war in Iran in late February. The CMA CGM Kribi ship was sailing under the flag of Malta.

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It was 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.

Why it matters

Since the start of the war, the blockade has pushed up oil and gas prices around the world. There have also been rising concerns over food security as a third of the global trade in raw materials for fertiliser normally passes through the strait.

Meanwhile, three tankers linked to Oman have also sailed through the channels, FT reported. The vessel did not take 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. According to Reuters, the Sohar LNG tanker, which sails under the flag of Panama, has made the journey.

Mitsui OSK, on the other hand, has declined to disclose exactly when the vessel crossed the strait and whether it had made any negotiations to do so. 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.

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She also emphasised that the UK 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 now being considered by the United Nations is whether a humanitarian shipping corridor can be opened to ensure fertiliser gets through, to prevent food shortages in poorer countries.

Meanwhile, international leaders are expected to meet next week to hold talks on whether it may be possible to clear sea mines and rescue trapped ships in the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that the US could “easily” open up the Strait, but that doing so would require “a little more time”.

The American leader wrote on his social media platform TruthSocial: “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.