Chinese Ships Resume Hormuz Passage, but Traffic Remains Far Below Prewar Levels

Luojiashan tanker sits anchored in Muscat, as Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 7, 2026. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
Luojiashan tanker sits anchored in Muscat, as Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 7, 2026. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

Chinese ships are again moving through the Strait of Hormuz, but only in a narrow and uneven way that underscores how far traffic remains from prewar norms.

Two COSCO-linked container ships exited the Gulf on Monday after an earlier aborted attempt, becoming the first vessels tied to a major Chinese state-backed shipping group to make the passage since the war began.

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by CGSP Staff

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