At least 3 ships linked to China are believed to have suddenly turned around after trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz on March 27.
Two ships owned by Chinese state-owned shipping company Cosco Shipping - the CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean - as well as the Lotus Rising owned by Hong Kong (China) suddenly turned around near Larak Island.
Data on the unusual developments of these ships is provided by the MarineTraffic ship tracking service and the FDD research team.
The Strait of Hormuz has repeatedly been seen as an unofficial toll station of Iran when the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Navy (IRGC) controlled the strait and only allowed licensed ships to pass through.
This is also the first time Cosco's large container ships have tried to pass through Hormuz since tensions in this vital strait began on February 28, disrupting 20% of the world's oil supply.
According to a statement from the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) cited by Nour News news agency linked to the IRGC, these ships violated Iran's regulations prohibiting ships from entering and leaving countries considered to support the US and Israel, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
Three container ships of different nationalities tried to move towards the corridor designated for licensed ships, but were forced to return after being warned by the IRGC Navy" - Nour News reported.
The IRGC's statement also emphasized that the movement of any ships "coming and going" from the ports of allies and US-Israel supporters to any destination across the strait is prohibited.
It is not yet clear why the ships stopped, but Lloyd's List maritime news agency said that Cosco ships are believed to have docked at Jebel Ali ports in Dubai; Dammam port in Saudi Arabia and Khalifa port in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates since mid-February.
Analysts note that these ships may lack valid papers or permits to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and safe travel cannot be guaranteed.
This unusual development highlights Iran's previous diplomatic assurance loophole that China and other friendly countries, including Russia and India, could coordinate to ensure safety when passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
International media reported that, as a preventive measure to show goodwill towards Iran, the CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean also sent messages on the identification system, signaling that the ships had Chinese owners and crew members. However, Iranian officials at the checkpoint assessed that it was not enough for the ships to be allowed to pass.
