THE first vehicle carrier to depart the Middle East Gulf since the outbreak of hostilities in late February has safely transited the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence data, the 6,000 ceu Jiuyang Bonanza (IMO: 9330616) departed from an anchorage off Dubai and exited the waterway on Saturday, April 11.

It transmitted that it had Chinese crew on board via its AIS transponder during its transit, via a Tehran-approved detour, and now appears to be bound for the Red Sea.

The 2006-built ship arrived at the Saudi Arabian port of Dammam in early March, where it discharged vehicles from China and South Korea. The vessel has since been held at anchor.

It operates for private Chinese vehicle logistics provider Changjiu Logistics, which operates three pure car and truck carriers in service between Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

The Jiuyang Bonanza was purchased in 2024 from Oslo-listed vehicle carrier operator Hoegh Autoliners.

Its departure leaves a total of 14 long-haul vehicle carriers remaining in the MEG.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence data shows that between 20 and 25 vehicle carriers typically arrived in the MEG every week in the 12 months prior to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The majority of ships arrived with cars and other vehicles from north Asia, with some services also loading at ports in southeast Asia and India on their way to the MEG.

The Middle East is a major export destination for Asian automakers, with ongoing maritime disruptions forcing logistical reshuffles for most major vehicle carrier operators.

Car manufacturing plants in China, Japan, South Korea and India collectively ship vast volumes of vehicles to MEG markets each year. The region is particularly critical for China, with industry data showing that around 1m Chinese-made cars were exported to MEG countries in 2025.

The disruption extends beyond passenger vehicles. So-called “high and heavy” cargo, including trucks, buses, boats and industrial equipment, is also transported on vehicle carriers.

The remaining pure car and truck carriers stranded in the MEG, with a combined capacity of around 75,000 ceu, remain anchored after offloading their cargo last month.

Japanese operators have most exposure to disruptions, with a total of nine pure car and truck carriers in the region either owned or on time charter to Japanese carriers.

China’s state-owned SAIC Anji Logistics currently has three ships stranded.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s presence is more limited. EUKOR, a subsidiary of Norway’s Wallenius Wilhelmsen, has one vessel held in the region.

The only European ship caught in the disruption is the Grande Torino (IMO: 9782675), controlled by Italy’s Grimaldi Group.

Since the crisis began, operators have been forced to divert vessels previously bound for the MEG from their original routes, offloading cargo at alternative ports to avoid security risks.

India has emerged as a key fallback hub, with some operators rerouting MEG shipments to Kamarajar port on the country’s eastern coast. Others are turning to East African ports.

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