The container ship Gunde Maersk is seen docked at the Port of Oakland on June 24, 2024, in Oakland, California.
Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The prominent Danish shipping company, Maersk, has announced the successful passage of one of its commercial vessels through the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, under the protection of the United States military.
The vessel, named Alliance Fairfax, is a U.S.-flagged ship managed by Farrell Lines, a branch of Maersk Line Limited (MLL). According to a company statement, the ship completed its transit on Monday without any complications, with all crew members reported safe and in good condition.
This development comes after the vessel had been left stranded at sea since conflict erupted on February 28, involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran, as stated by Maersk.
The operation aligns with the U.S. Navy’s efforts to implement President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom” initiative, aimed at ensuring the safe passage of ships hindered by Iran’s blockade of the strait, a crucial corridor that links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
Typically, about 20% of the world’s oil and gas passes through the Strait of Hormuz, but shipping traffic has virtually halted since the war began.
U.S. Central Command said via social media on Monday that two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels had successfully transited through the Strait of Hormuz, adding that U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers were currently operating in the region.
A fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appeared to be close to unraveling on Tuesday after Iranian drones and missiles hit the United Arab Emirates, while Washington said it had sunk Iranian vessels in the strait.
Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Trump warned that Iran would be “blown off the face of the earth” if it targeted U.S. ships safeguarding commercial traffic through the strait.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on social media that recent events in the strait “make clear that there’s no military solution to a political crisis.”
He added: “As talks are making progress with Pakistan’s gracious effort, the U.S. should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE. Project Freedom is Project Deadlock.”
Maersk, widely regarded as a barometer of global trade, is scheduled to report its first-quarter earnings on Thursday.
— CNBC’s Lee Ying Shan contributed to this report.
