3 Apr 2026 By AFP, AP and Reuters; A French container ship, three Oman-linked tankers, and a Japanese-owned gas carrier have successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz, marking a cautious resumption of traffic through the contested waterway.
The French vessel, operated by shipping giant CMA CGM, is the first Western ship known to make the passage since Iran effectively closed the strait. MarineTraffic data shows that the Malta-flagged Kribi crossed on April 2, though it remains unclear how the ship secured safe passage. According to LSEG shipping data, the vessel changed its destination to “Owner France” before entering Iranian territorial waters, signaling its nationality to authorities. During the crossing, the ships appear to have switched off their AIS transponders, as tracking signals temporarily disappeared.
Alongside Kribi, two very large crude carriers and one LNG tanker operated by Oman Shipping Management exited the Gulf on the same day. Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines confirmed that the LNG tanker Sohar LNG, which it co-owns, also crossed the strait making it the first Japan-linked vessel, and the first LNG carrier, to do so since hostilities began on February 28.
Since March 1, only about 150 vessels mostly linked to Iran, China, India, and Pakistan have transited the strait, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
The blockade has triggered a global energy crisis. Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz carried roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Fuel prices have surged worldwide as a result.
On April 1, Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump insisted that petrol prices would fall quickly once the war ended, though he offered no concrete plan for reopening the strait. French President Emmanuel Macron countered that a military operation would be unrealistic, stressing that only diplomacy could restore free passage. Macron has been working with European and other allies to build a coalition aimed at guaranteeing safe transit once hostilities subside.
Meanwhile, Iran’s former top diplomat wrote in Foreign Affairs that Tehran should consider striking a deal with Washington: curbing its nuclear program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief.