Hormuz traffic rises as US-Iran MoU sparks cautious optimism
Forwarders may be short of confidence following confirmation that the US and Iran have signed ...
CMA CGM may have found a way around the madness in the Middle East, but UKMTO confirmed this morning that a box ship close to Iran’s Kish Island was holed by a projectile, while President Trump has indicated the US could turn the Hormuz waterway into its own personal ATM.
Details of the affected containership were not provided by the UK agency, but it confirmed that the vessel was 25 nautical miles from Kish Island and that the damage was caused above the waterline, adding: “The crew are safe and accounted for. No environmental impact has been reported. Authorities are investigating.”
The attack comes days after Iran claimed to have struck another containership, the MSC Ishyka. However, the claims have yet to be verified ,with reports noting that the Liberian-flagged vessel was last recorded in a Bahraini shipyard, with Vespucci Maritime CEO Lars Jensen questioning the veracity of Iran’s claims.
Having one of its 14 boxships stuck in the Persian Gulf out through the Strait of Hormuz, CMA CGM became the first western operator to transit the strait since the US/Israel-Iran war began at the end of February, although details of how the Malta-flagged 5,500 teu vessel secured safe passage remain sketchy, with neither CMA CGM nor the French government yet to comment.
Citing sources close to the matter The Journal of Commerce (JOC) has claimed that the French container line may have reached out directly to the Iranian regime to thrash out an agreement that would allow the evacuation of CMA CGM vessels from the Gulf.
Having passed through the contested strait at some point on Thursday, the CMA CGM Kribi switched on its transponder, proving that its passage had been successful, but instead of stating a destination, its AIS displayed the message “owner France”.
So there is speculation that the line has benefited from the French government’s decision to distance itself from the war to such an extent that the regime in Tehran may be willing to consider it a non-hostile nation.
Alternatively, the carrier may have simply reached an agreement on an acceptable toll fee to rescue its vessels from the waterway, with reports that Tehran is charging $1m to $2m per vessel to exit the waterway.
Mr Jensen noted that the 660 teu Selen had also safely passed through the strait, but said that unlike the “steady stream of tankers and bulkers” crossing the waterway, box ship transits had stalled.
Mr Jensen added: “The Selen also tried to transit some 11 days ago but was turned back at that time. It is flagged in St Kitts and Nevis and is owned by Dubai-based Exceed Oceanic Trading. It is enroute to India.
“Now we also see vessels from Oman getting through and, surprisingly, AIS data show these make the transit close to Oman’s coastline and not through the Iranian controlled new route inside of Larak Island.”
With Oman still considered an ally to Iran, passage through Omani waters could offer a way out for other vessels, with sources noting that Tehran may be more wary of hitting Omani targets by accident than it has been when it comes to its other neighbours.
Citing reports in Iranian media, Mr Jensen also suggested that Iran and Oman may be working towards some sort of agreement by which they jointly monitor and supervise the transit of vessels through Hormuz.
Not one to sit back when there is money to be made, President Trump last night said the US could itself look to extract money from vessel operators in exchange for passage through Hormuz.
Asked by reporters if he would be willing to accept a deal that allowed Iran to toll ships moving through Hormuz, the US commander-in-chief responded: “What about us charging tolls? I’d rather do that than let them have them.
“Why shouldn’t we? We are the winner. We won. The only thing they have is the psychology of ‘oh, we’re going to drop a couple of mines in the water’. All right, no, I mean, we have a concept where we will charge tolls.”
Given the willingness of Mr Trump to shoot from the hip and see what sticks as far as public pronouncements go, it remains “TBC” on whether this latest assertion has any grounding in it, but it has certainly chucked the cat among the pigeons.
Mr Jensen said: “The escalating rhetoric and threats in the Iran-US war continues to give cause for concern in the supply chain. Now with the bridge between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain being closed as a precaution.
“This is a problem for Bahrain as it is the only link to the mainland, and hence access to increasing intermodal traffic from the ports outside the Persian Gulf,” before noting that Maersk has upped its emergency contingency surcharge (ECS) from India to Europe.
Together with tacking a further $300 per teu to its ECS, the Danish carrier also brought in a new Gulf coast US-west coast South America peak season surcharge requiring its customers to fork out $300 per 40ft.
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