Two Chinese Container Ships From Cosco Attempt Hormuz Exit Again

By Weilun Soon

Mar 30, 2026 (Bloomberg) –Two container ships linked to China’s state-owned Cosco Shipping Corp. are trying again to exit the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg News, just days after aborting a previous attempt.

The CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean began sailing northeast from waters off Dubai on Monday morning, heading toward a channel in between Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands, near the narrow opening of the strait, the data showed. They are listed as part of Cosco Shipping Lines Co.’s fleet, according to the website of the company, which is a subsidiary of Cosco Shipping Corp. 

In retaliation to US-Israeli strikes, Iran has choked off the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for global trade, and only some Tehran-approved vessels including liquefied petroleum gas carriers have transited recently.

Both ships were signaling Chinese ownership and crew onboard in an apparent effort to ensure safe passage through the waterway. The vessels used the same tactics on Friday, when they U-turned near Iran. It was not immediately clear why they motored back instead of leaving the Gulf.

Read More: Two Chinese Container Ships Attempt Hormuz Exit Before U-Turning

The two vessels, each with the capacity to transport about 19,000 twenty-foot equivalent containers, were seen taking the same route on Monday. They have been stuck in the Persian Gulf for more than a month since the US and Israel launched the war against Iran.

© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.

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This article contains reporting from Bloomberg, published under license.

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