Cosco VLCCs break through Hormuz even as US-Iran diplomacy falters
- Two VLCCs have transited the Strait of Hormuz, becoming the first Chinese state-owned tankers to leave the Middle East Gulf since the conflict began
- The vessels followed an Iran-approved route via Larak Island, with more Chinese tankers expected to follow
- Their passage comes as US-Iran talks in Pakistan ended without a deal, leaving the broader maritime standoff unresolved
Beijing’s quiet diplomacy appears to be paying off for its tankers, even as formal US-Iran negotiations hit a wall
TWO Chinese state-owned very large crude carriers have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz, becoming the first state-linked tankers to leave the Middle East Gulf since the outbreak of the conflict — even as US-Iran negotiations in Pakistan ended without a deal over the weekend.
Cospearl Lake (IMO: 9337171) and He Rong Hai (IMO: 9603192)) transited the strait on April 11 and are now sailing through the Gulf of Oman into the Indian Ocean, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence vessel-tracking data.
Cospearl Lake, owned by state conglomerate China Cosco Shipping Corp, is laden with Iraqi crude oil, while He Rong Hai, owned by another Chinese state-owned company, is carrying Saudi crude, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence tracking data.
The two vessels left their long-held gathering points in central MEG waters earlier this week and moved to an anchorage west of the strait.
Their AIS tracks show the two VLCCs followed the prescribed route announced by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps late last week, which requires vessels to pass via the country’s Larak Island when entering and exiting the strait. The route effectively formalises Tehran’s control over passage through the chokepoint.
Two Cosco ultra-large containerships had already departed the MEG through a similar Iran-approved shipping corridor in late March, but Tehran has maintained far tighter control over the passage of non-Iranian tankers through the strait, making the transit of the two VLCCs a more significant breakthrough.
Their successful passage could pave the way for more Chinese tankers to follow them out of the MEG.
Yuan Hua Hu (IMO: 9723588), another Cosco-owned VLCC that had moved towards the Hormuz anchorage alongside Cospearl Lake and He Rong Hai earlier this week, is also expected to attempt the transit.
Lloyd’s List Intelligence vessel-tracking data shows that Cosco’s tanker fleet has at least another five vessels trapped inside the MEG, comprising one very large crude carrier, three aframax tankers and one panamax tanker.
However, the broader outlook remains clouded by the collapse of US-Iran diplomacy. US Vice-President JD Vance said over the weekend that negotiations with Iran held in the Pakistani capital Islamabad had failed to produce an agreement, and that the American delegation would return to Washington.
The collapse of talks raises fresh questions about the full reopening of the strait.
Beijing is reported to have played a pivotal mediating role in bringing the US and Iran to the negotiating table, with The Guardian citing Pakistani officials as saying China gave assurances that Iranian officials would not be targeted during the course of talks. China subsequently said it would continue efforts to resolve the dispute through diplomatic means.
But absent an agreement, the maritime standoff in the MEG region remains unresolved.
All Strait of Hormuz transits are verified by Lloyd’s List Intelligence expert analysts using our AIS vessel-tracking data, advanced analytics and on-the-ground human intelligence to ensure even dark or GNSS-disrupted movements are captured. Lloyd’s List Intelligence subscribers can activate the Strait of Hormuz transit watchlist here
