First Japanese and French ships cross Strait of Hormuz since war

One French- and another Japanese-owned vessel are among a handful of vessels to have crossed the war-torn Strait of Hormuz, maritime tracking data showed Friday.

The passage, a vital maritime route for oil and liquified natural gas, has been virtually blocked by Iran since the start of the war.

But both ships made the crossing on Thursday, according to ship tracking company Marine Traffic’s website.

Three tankers – including one co-owned by a Japanese company crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday by taking a Southern route.

They hugged close to the shore of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula – a first in nearly three weeks according to Lloyd’s List.

All three ships signalled they were an “OMANI SHIP” in the message broadcast by their transponder as they crossed the strait.

The Sohar LNG, which was empty when crossing, is co-owned by Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K.

That makes it the first Japanese vessel to exit the Gulf since the start of the war, according to a company statement.

The Sohar LNG vessel, which was among 45 Japanese-affiliated ships idling in the Persian Gulf, has travelled through the strait to the Gulf of Oman.

According to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, both the vessel and its crew members are safe.

“We’ll continue our operations while prioritising the safety of our crew members, cargo and ships,” a company official said.

A Japanese Government official said that the reason the ship was allowed to sail through the strait at this time is unknown.

Meanwhile, the Maltese-flagged Kribi belonging to the French maritime transport group CMA CGM crossed the waterway to leave the Gulf on Thursday afternoon, Marine Traffic’s data showed. (The Japan Times)