China has expressed appreciation after three of its vessels successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, following coordination with relevant parties amid ongoing regional tensions, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular briefing that Beijing was grateful for the assistance provided during the transits, although she did not specify which parties were involved or provide further operational details. Her remarks come as maritime traffic in the region continues to face heightened security concerns linked to wider geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Two of the vessels identified in the transit were the CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean, both ultra-large container ships operated by Chinese state-owned shipping giant COSCO Shipping. According to ship-tracking data, the vessels passed close to the Iranian-controlled island of Larak during their journey.
The ships are now en route to Port Klang, a key regional maritime hub, after previously aborting an earlier attempt to navigate the strait last week. Their successful passage marks a notable development following recent disruptions in one of the world’s most critical energy and shipping corridors.
Shipping activity through the strait has slowed significantly in recent months after Iran restricted access in response to escalating tensions linked to US-Israeli strikes in the region. However, Tehran has maintained that the waterway remains open to vessels from what it describes as “friendly countries,” with China maintaining strong diplomatic ties with Iran.
In a separate development, COSCO announced it is resuming limited bookings for cargo routes between Asia and several Gulf destinations, although it clarified that some services will avoid transiting the Strait of Hormuz altogether. The move reflects ongoing caution among global shipping operators navigating heightened regional uncertainty.
