Chinese Ship Crosses Hormuz as Traffic Stays Near 10 Vessels a Day
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 21
Chinese Ship Crosses Hormuz as Traffic Stays Near 10 Vessels a Day
5 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 21
Zhong Gu Nan Chang crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, one of only a handful of vessels moving through the waterway.
Traffic has averaged about 10 daily passages in recent days, down from 125-140 before the war on Iran began on Feb. 28, according to Reuters analysis of ship-tracking data.
Most recent movements were dry bulk and container ships entering the Gulf, while crude tankers remained scarce and only one Iran-linked tanker crossed into the Gulf of Oman.
A shaky ceasefire has not reopened the route: U.S.-Iran talks are deadlocked, a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, and Tehran still controls the strait.
The disruption has left about 20,000 seafarers stranded on hundreds of ships inside the Gulf, underscoring the wider risk to shipping markets and global oil supply.
Why is Iran granting passage to Chinese ships while thousands of other sailors remain stranded in the Gulf?
With oil supplies choked and prices soaring, can the world economy withstand the escalating standoff at the Strait of Hormuz?
The 2026 Strait of Hormuz Crisis: China’s Evasion, US Blockade, and the Future of Global Energy Security
Overview
After the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February 2026, a US naval blockade severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Most operators avoided the area, but a few ships, especially those linked to China, managed to bypass the blockade. Notably, the Chinese VLCC Yuan Hua Hu crossed the Strait in May 2026, showing China's ability to maintain its energy supply despite the crisis. These successful transits highlight China's strategic navigation of the blockade, while most global shipping faced major disruptions and rising risks in this vital waterway.