No major commercial ships crossed Strait of Hormuz in last 24 hours

WASHINGTON: No major commercial vessels moved through the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Anadolu on Thursday, as security concerns intensified and Iran tightened controls over the strategic waterway.

The pause in traffic marks a further disruption to global shipping since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28. Commercial movement through the strait has fallen sharply in recent weeks, with many shipping operators rerouting vessels or staying away from the Gulf because of security fears, signal interference and uncertainty surrounding transit conditions.

The latest halt followed a report by Beijing-based outlet Caixin that a Chinese-owned large oil tanker came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. The incident took place off the United Arab Emirates' Al Jeer port and sparked a fire on the vessel's deck. It was described as the first such incident involving a Chinese ship since the war started.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing would continue efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and would do its utmost to safeguard Chinese ships and crew.

We hope relevant parties will act prudently, avoid further escalation, resolve disputes through dialogue, and restore peace and tranquillity in the Strait soon.

Lin said on Wednesday.

The waterway has also seen unusual and risky passages by vessels linked to Western companies. The French-owned CMA CGM Saigon reappeared off the coast of Oman late Wednesday after vanishing from tracking systems in the Persian Gulf, indicating that the container ship may have crossed the strait with its Automatic Identification System turned off amid heavier signal jamming in the area.

The vessel had last been detected on Tuesday near Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE before resurfacing in the Arabian Sea, with Colombo, Sri Lanka, listed as its destination. Its journey made it one of the few Western Europe-linked ships to pass through the strait without damage since the conflict began.

On Tuesday, another French company vessel, the CMA CGM San Antonio, was attacked while transiting the strait, leaving crew members injured and the ship damaged.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said on Wednesday that ships were following new transit rules introduced by Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, the IRGC Navy said vessel cooperation was helping regional maritime security and added that safe passage would be maintained under the new procedures.

On Tuesday, the IRGC Navy instructed vessels to use only designated routes while crossing the strait and warned that any departure from those routes would be treated as unsafe and could trigger decisive action.

All vessels intending to pass through the strait must use a corridor previously announced by Iran, and any deviation would face firm action.

the IRGC Navy said, calling the designated route the

only safe passage

through the strategic waterway.

Strategic route under pressure

The Strait of Hormuz remains a vital route for global energy trade, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Disruption there has heightened concerns over the movement of oil, liquefied natural gas and refined fuels at a time when energy markets are already under strain from the conflict.