Two Chinese supertankers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to shipping data, in what appears to be the first such movement following a recent US–Iran ceasefire agreement.
LSEG tracking data showed the Very Large Crude Carriers Cospearl Lake and He Rong Hai, both chartered by Unipec — the trading arm of China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) — entered and exited a “Hormuz Passage trial anchorage” route on April 11, bypassing Iran’s Larak Island, British media reports.
The vessels’ movements suggest a cautious resumption of normal tanker traffic through one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints, which handles a significant share of global oil shipments.
The transit comes days after reports of a US–Iran ceasefire deal, which has eased tensions in the region but left shipping markets watching closely for signs of stability.
By Aghakazim Guliyev
