Two Cosco Shipping containerships gain Iranian clearance to transit the Strait of Hormuz, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough.
Two Cosco Shipping ultra-large containerships have secured Iranian clearance to transit the Strait of Hormuz on their second attempt, reported London's Lloyd's List.
The 19,000-TEU CSCL Arctic Ocean and 19,100-TEU CSCL Indian Ocean passed Iran's Larak Island checkpoint at about 0800 hrs GMT on Sunday, vessel tracking data showed. Both ships were making 15 knots as they headed towards the Gulf of Oman.
If completed without incident, they will be the first Cosco-owned vessels tracked successfully exiting the Middle East Gulf since Iran asserted control over Hormuz earlier this month. The ships had turned back days earlier after failing to secure clearance.
The breakthrough suggests diplomatic progress between Beijing and Tehran. Iran has recently added Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, and India to its list of approved nations. However, at least eight Cosco tankers remain trapped in the Gulf, clustered at anchorages.
Separately, the 76,000-dwt Ocean Pretty, a Chinese-owned, Barbados-flagged bulk carrier, cleared the strait after a week-long wait. The vessel broadcast 'CHINESE CREW OWNER' on its AIS during transit, though its signals showed anomalies raising questions of interference.
Ocean Pretty is managed by Shanghai-based Ocean Pretty Marine, with its beneficial owner unknown. It had previously called at ports in Oman, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, and is now sailing through the Gulf of Oman with its AIS destination set to 'High Sea.'
