As end-of-war talks between the United States and Iran are underway, a total of three ships carrying crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) have successively passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
On the 25th (local time), the British daily Financial Times (FT), citing data from the maritime intelligence firm MarineTraffic, reported that two LNG carriers departed Qatar, passed through the Strait of Hormuz, and are heading to China and Pakistan, respectively.
The ship bound for China is the Al Rayyan, operated by QatarEnergy Marine. The vessel is sailing with 56,000 tons of LNG and is expected to arrive in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China, on the 27th of next month.
FT said this voyage by the Al Rayyan is the first LNG shipment since the Iran war broke out in February.
The LNG carrier bound for Pakistan is the Fuwayrit. The vessel loaded LNG at Qatar's Ras Laffan Port on Mar. 27 and is expected to arrive in Pakistan during the day.
The Eagle Verona, a tanker carrying crude oil, also passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 23rd. The ship is expected to arrive in Ningbo, China, on the 12th of next month.
FT noted that when the three ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz, end-of-war talks between the United States and Iran were underway.
According to foreign media, the United States and Iran continued negotiations over the weekend on signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that includes an additional 60-day truce, opening the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's denuclearization, and easing sanctions against Iran.
Analysts say the safe passage of the three ships through the Strait of Hormuz indicates the possibility of resuming traffic through the strait.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has also recently disclosed successive cases of tankers with its authorization passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC said on the 22nd that 35 vessels, including tankers, container ships, and merchant ships, passed through the Strait of Hormuz, and announced on the 23rd that an additional 25 vessels traversed the strait.
Among the 26 Korean ships waiting near the Strait of Hormuz, one vessel also passed through the strait for the first time on the 10th after consultations with Iran.