Chinese ships halt attempt to exit Hormuz despite Iran safe passage assurances

Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman's Musandam governance, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in United Arab Emirates, Mar. 11. Reuters-Yonhap

LONDON — Two Chinese container ships turned backed after trying to exit the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, Friday, ship-tracking data showed, despite assurances from Iran that Chinese vessels could pass.

The operator, China's COSCO, had said in a March 25 client advisory that it had resumed bookings for general cargo containers for shipments from Asia to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.

The CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean, both Hong Kong-flagged, have been stuck in the Gulf since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began, Feb. 28.

They attempted to pass through the strait Friday but then turned back, analysis from the Kpler data platform showed.

While this was the first crossing attempted by a major shipping group since the start of the war, Friday's incident showed "safe passage could not be guaranteed," Kpler analyst Rebecca Gerdes said.

On Wednesday, Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a Tweet that Iran "permitted passage through the Strait of Hormuz for friendly nations including China, Russia, India, Iraq and Pakistan."

The two vessels both broadcast messages on their AIS ship-tracking systems stating they had Chinese owners and crews, data on the LSEG platform showed Friday.

Shanghai-based parent company COSCO Shipping was not immediately available for comment.

Three container ships of various nationalities were turned back from the Strait of Hormuz after warnings from the Revolutionary Guards' naval force, Iranian state media reported Friday, without providing further details.

Iran has launched attacks on Gulf shipping and threatened more, stranding hundreds of vessels and 20,000 seafarers inside the Gulf. Energy exports including crude oil from Saudi Arabia and liquefied natural gas from Qatar have been effectively halted.

Goodwill gesture

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran was letting 10 oil tankers transit the Strait of Hormuz as an apparent goodwill gesture in negotiations.

There have been no details about these tankers or if any had sailed through the strait since Trump's comment.

A trickle of other vessels have departed in recent days, including Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas for cooking.

A Thai oil tanker passed through the strait following diplomatic coordination with Iran, a Thai official and the oil firm that owns the vessel said Wednesday.

Traffic in the past week has consisted mainly of Iranian oil tankers departing and bulk carriers arriving in Iran with cargoes of grain and other commodities, according to data from maritime specialists Lloyd’s List Intelligence and Reuters analysis.

Iran has repeatedly stated that some may pass but asserted that Tehran would determine which vessels would do so and adding that those linked to the U.S. or Israel or their allies would be blocked.

"Aggressor parties – namely, the United States and the Israeli regime – as well as other participants in the aggression, do not qualify for innocent or non-hostile passage," Iran said in a circular sent March 24 to member countries of UN shipping agency the International Maritime Organization.

Initiating peace talks would be "conducive to restoring normal navigation," through Hormuz, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a call with his Pakistani counterpart Friday.