"More than 20 merchant ships pass through Strait of Hormuz despite U.S. blockade"

[Financial News]

WSJ, quoting two U.S. government officials, reported that more than 20 vessels had transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours despite the U.S. blockade.
According to one source, the ships that passed through the strait during this period included bulk carriers, container ships and oil tankers. Some vessels exited the strait, while others entered it.
Some ships reportedly turned off their transmitters while sailing to minimize the risk of an attack by Iran.
The U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz targets ships that have called at Iranian ports. Vessels that have not visited Iran are allowed to pass freely.
Although the passage of just over 20 ships is only a drop in the bucket compared with the period before the war with Iran, it suggests that traffic is beginning to resume along a key maritime route that carries 20% of the world’s oil and gas shipments.
Earlier, President Donald Trump ordered the blockade of the strait on the 12th, and United States Central Command (CENTCOM) deployed more than 10 warships on the 13th to seal off the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM had previously announced that, starting on the 11th, it had begun minesweeping operations to remove naval mines laid by Iran in the strait.


[email protected] Song Kyung-jae Reporter