Several ships, including a French container ship, cross…

Several ships have now passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports, as shipping companies and international leaders race to get vital cargoes through the waterway.

A container ship owned by French shipping company CMA CGM had set sail from the Gulf, the Financial Times reported, citing tracking data analyst MarineTraffic.

It is believed to be the first vessel owned by a Western shipping company to have made the journey through the strait, which in normal times carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies and has been effectively closed since the war in Iran began in late February.

The CMA vessel CGM Kribi, sailing under the flag of Malta, is said to have turned on its transponder near the coast off Dubai on March 28 before crossing the strait with a cargo.

The ship then reportedly rounded Larak Island, near the coast of Iran, which has become a popular route for transiting ships.

The blockade has driven up oil and gas prices around the world and concerns are growing about food security, as a third of global trade in fertilizer raw materials normally passes through the strait.

Three Oman-linked oil tankers also crossed the canal, the FT said, without taking the northern route near the Iranian island. One of these was a liquefied natural gas tanker owned by the Japanese company Mitsui OSK Lines.

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The Sohar LNG tanker, sailing under the flag of Panama, made the trip, according to a statement to Reuters. Mitsui OSK declined to say when the ship passed through the strait and whether it had entered into negotiations to do so.

This week the UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said coordinated action was needed to pressure Iran to reopen the strait, following a virtual meeting of more than 40 countries. He also said Britain would “totally reject” any attempt to impose multi-million pound fees on ships to cross the strait, which has been dubbed “Tehran’s toll booth”.

One option being considered by the United Nations is the possibility of opening a humanitarian transport corridor to ensure the passage of fertilizers, to prevent food shortages in the poorest countries.

The Guardian

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