A French container ship and a Japanese-flagged tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz, in what appears to be the first crossings of this kind since the war in Iran effectively closed the strategic maritime route.
The CMA CGM Kribi, the container ship, left the strait on Friday, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and two people with knowledge of the matter. It is the first vessel linked to Western Europe known to have managed to cross the region since the start of the war, more than a month ago. The Japanese Mitsui OSK Lines confirmed, also on Friday, that an LNG vessel of which it is a co-owner crossed — another unprecedented case.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has essentially ground to a halt since the United States and Israel attacked Iran, with only a handful of ships able to pass. Mostly, these are vessels linked to countries considered allies of Tehran, in a system that has emerged in the last weeks in which Iran pre-approves passage along a route that tracks closely along its coast.
The French and Japanese ships suggest a shift in this pattern, though it is not yet clear whether this results from diplomatic negotiations between governments or ad hoc deals made by companies and intermediaries. France and Japan called for a ceasefire earlier this week, and President Emmanuel Macron has been among the most vocal about the need to reopen the strait — but says that this can only happen after the bombardments stop.
As part of the Iranian system being built, some ships have begun paying transit fees to Tehran, as Bloomberg had previously reported. A spokesperson for Mitsui OSK declined to comment on whether the Sohar LNG vessel paid any fee. CMA CGM SA, the French owner of the container ship, also declined to comment.
The French Finance Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The French Foreign Ministry preferred not to comment.
CMA CGM is the third-largest container shipping company in the world and is majority controlled by the Saadé billionaire family. The founder emigrated from Lebanon, then at war, to France, and founded the company in 1978, in Marseille.
Until now, most of the vessels crossing the strait were from countries with friendly relations with Iran, with some, such as Pakistan, negotiating bilateral agreements to guarantee safe passage. Most have followed a route hugging the Iranian coast, though in recent days another path has emerged — along the coast of Oman. The LNG vessel used this route, as well as two supertankers.
Meanwhile, Iran is seeking to consolidate long-term control over the strait, advancing the creation of a tolling system in a maritime lane crucial for the global supply of oil and gas. The initiative alarms Gulf Arab states, which depend on the route for their exports, and tends to raise costs for consumers. Tehran has indicated it could operate this new system in partnership with Oman, but Muscat has yet to clarify its position.
Iranian Islands
Tracking ships entering and leaving the Strait of Hormuz is not an easy task and has been hindered by intense signal interference in the region, as well as spoofing practices.
The data show that the CMA CGM Kribi, sailing under a Maltese flag, left waters near Dubai toward Iran on Thursday afternoon (local time), signaling in its beacon that the owner is French. The vessel remained close to the Iranian coast, passing through a channel between the islands of Qeshm and Larak, broadcasting its route openly. On Friday, the ship was already signaling its position off Muscat.
The CMA CGM Kribi has a capacity for about 5,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), and the draft readings indicate that it is low in the water, signaling that it is carrying a large cargo. The company stated that 14 of its ships were held up in the Persian Gulf, unable to cross the strait.
The Sohar LNG tanker, which appears not to be loaded, is currently in waters near Muscat, after changing its destination to the Qalhat LNG export terminal in Oman, according to the data. The vessel, which signals as an Omani ship, has spent the last month circling the Persian Gulf, records show.
The manager of the ship — registered as Oman Ship Management Co. in the Equasis database — did not immediately respond to calls or emails seeking comment. The ship’s owner, Energy Spring LNG Carrier SA, shares the same contacts as the manager. Energy Spring is a joint venture in which Mitsui OSK holds 50%, according to documents from the Japanese company.
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