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Iran war: French and Japanese-owned ships make first Strait of Hormuz crossings

A French-owned container ship and a Japanese-owned tanker have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first such transits by Western vessels since the US-Israeli conflict with Iran effectively closed the waterway. The crossings, confirmed by shipping tracking data, come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to reopen the strategic route for global oil and LNG supplies.

By Tertius News AI Desk 5 outlets · 6 articles Version 1 Coverage Apr 3–4, 2026 Published Aug 13

Lead

A French-owned container ship and a Japanese tanker have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, in what appear to be the first such transits by major non-Iranian vessels since the US-Israeli conflict with Iran effectively closed the vital waterway more than a month ago. The Malta-flagged Kribi, owned by French shipping group CMA CGM, crossed the strait on April 2, according to MarineTraffic vessel tracking data, as reported by multiple outlets including Al Jazeera, Reuters, and the Jerusalem Post. A Japanese-owned liquefied natural gas tanker, the Sohar LNG, co-owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, also made the crossing on Thursday, according to a company statement cited by Japanese media and reported by RFI.

Coverage Comparison

The crossings were reported by all five outlets surveyed, with most focusing on the French vessel as the lead. The BBC and South China Morning Post also highlighted the Japanese tanker in their leads, while Al Jazeera, the Jerusalem Post, and RFI emphasized the French ship. All sources attributed the initial information to MarineTraffic data, with some also citing AFP, Reuters, or Bloomberg analysis. There is broad agreement on the key facts: the Kribi crossed on April 2, displayed "Owner France" on its tracking system, and used an Iranian-approved route through Iranian waters near Larak Island, dubbed the "Tehran Toll Booth" by Lloyd's List. The Japanese tanker took a separate, southern route hugging the Omani coast.

Discrepancies exist on the exact date: Al Jazeera says the Kribi crossed April 2, while the BBC and RFI report it as Thursday (April 2 in most accounts, though the South China Morning Post says "Friday," possibly due to time zone differences). The South China Morning Post also notes that the Kribi exited the strait on Friday, which is consistent with RFI's report that it was off Muscat, Oman, by early Friday.

Key Claims

First Western transit: The Kribi is the first ship linked to western Europe known to have transited the strait since the war began, as reported by the BBC and confirmed by shipping analysts Kpler, cited by the BBC. RFI notes it appears to be the first known transit by a major European shipping group since early March.
French vessel details: The Kribi, originally bound for Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo, changed its destination to "Owner France" on its tracking system before entering Iranian territorial waters, signaling its nationality to authorities, as reported by Al Jazeera, RFI, and the Jerusalem Post. It is not clear how the vessel secured safe passage; CMA CGM declined to comment.
Japanese tanker crossing: The Sohar LNG, co-owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, crossed the strait on Thursday via a southern route hugging Oman's Musandam Peninsula, according to RFI. The company confirmed the crossing, making it the first Japanese vessel to exit the Gulf since the war began.
Traffic levels: Traffic in the strait has practically halted since the US and Israel attacked Iran, with only about 150 vessels transiting since March 1, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence data cited by Al Jazeera. The BBC reports that most of those have been vessels associated with nations friendly to Tehran. The South China Morning Post adds that France and Japan called for a ceasefire earlier this week.
Political context: US President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that America could reopen the strait, writing, "With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT," as reported by the BBC. French President Emmanuel Macron said it would be unrealistic to launch a military operation to reopen the strait, and that only diplomatic efforts would work, according to the Jerusalem Post and Reuters.
Economic significance: Before the conflict, about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passed through the strait, as reported by multiple outlets.

Perspectives

French and Japanese diplomatic efforts: Both France and Japan called for a ceasefire earlier this week, and Macron has been vocal about the need to reopen the strait diplomatically, saying it can only be done in consultation with Iran, as reported by the BBC and the Jerusalem Post. The crossings may indicate that Iran does not consider France a hostile nation, as suggested by Reuters in the Jerusalem Post.

Iran's management of the strait: Iran has said "non-hostile vessels" can use the waterway, and has approved routes through its waters, dubbed the "Tehran Toll Booth." The ships' use of these routes suggests a system of preapproval, as reported by the BBC and RFI. Some vessels have also used a southern route hugging Oman's coast, signaling "OMANI SHIP" on their transponders.

US stance: President Trump has claimed the US could reopen the strait, framing it as an economic opportunity, as reported by the BBC. This contrasts with Macron's more cautious diplomatic approach.

Ongoing uncertainty: The causes of these crossings remain unclear—whether they resulted from government diplomacy or ad hoc negotiations by companies and intermediaries, as noted by the BBC and Al Jazeera. The vessels' safe passage has not been explained, and CMA CGM has not commented.