Two Chinese container ships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday on their second attempt to leave the Gulf after turning back on Friday, ship-tracking data showed.
The critical waterway has effectively been shut since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28.
The vessels sailed in close formation out of the strait and into open waters, data on the MarineTraffic platform showed.
“Both vessels successfully crossed on a second attempt today, marking the first container vessels to leave the Persian Gulf since the start of the conflict, excluding Iranian flag vessels,” said Rebecca Gerdes, data analyst with Kpler, which owns MarineTraffic.
“Both vessels are steaming at an elevated speed toward the Gulf of Oman at the moment.”
Officials from China’s Cosco, the shipping group that operates the two vessels, could not be reached for immediate comment.
