An Iranian-flagged cargo vessel is currently passing through the vital trade route of the Strait of Hormuz, defying a United States blockade on Iranian ports, as per multiple reports.
The Shoja 2 cargo ship set sail from the Shahid Rajaee Port near Bandar Abbas, as reported by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency. The ship is said to be en route to the Port of Kandla in India.
Following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran in response to joint US-Israeli strikes starting on February 28, passage through the strait has been disrupted. Despite a temporary ceasefire, the US has enforced a blockade on Iranian ports in the strait to pressure Iran to reopen the route and engage in peace negotiations.
Approximately 20% of the world’s oil trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz. The shutdown of this crucial waterway has rattled global markets and caused oil prices to surge.
A video released by the US Central Command displayed US marines boarding an Iranian tanker after allegedly causing damage to its engine room. The footage showed marines descending from a US aircraft onto the Iranian tanker as it approached the Strait of Hormuz.
Although there is no independent confirmation of the cargo ship’s passage through the strait, Al Jazeera news agency cited marine tracking data from MarineTraffic, a maritime analytics provider, indicating that the ship is currently navigating in the strait.
According to MarineTraffic, the Shoja 2 is heading towards India.