Tanker passes through the Strait of Hormuz as some countries secure safe passage
Photo: Oil tanker (Getty Images)
Despite the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz due to the war in the Middle East, some countries have managed to ensure safe passage for their vessels, Reuters reports.
According to ship-tracking systems, the oil tanker Karachi passed through the narrow maritime corridor over the weekend on its way to Pakistan.
This may indicate that some countries are negotiating with Iran to allow the transit of their cargo.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that, according to Washington’s assessment, some Indian, Chinese, and Iranian fuel tankers had also passed through the strait.
According to Kpler MarineTraffic data, the vessel Karachi became "the first non-Iranian cargo to transit the chokepoint while broadcasting its AIS signal," which may indicate an agreed safe passage for certain shipments.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said Washington was preparing a "team effort" in the Strait of Hormuz and called on allies to join joint patrols of the strategic maritime corridor.
The White House also did not rule out deploying US military convoys to escort commercial vessels amid threats from Iran. At the same time, European countries are holding behind-the-scenes talks with Tehran in an attempt to find a diplomatic way out of the crisis and prevent further escalation in the region.
