Cscl-Arctic-Ocean

Two Chinese container ships, the 'CSCL Indian Ocean ' and the 'CSCL Arctic Ocean' turned backed after trying to exit the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on March 27, 2026, at 3.50 a.m. GMT, despite assurances from Iran that Chinese vessels could pass. The operator, China’s COSCO, had said in a March 25 client advisory that it had resumed bookings for general cargo containers for shipments from Asia to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq. The vessels have been stuck in the Gulf since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began on Feb. 28. On March 30, the COSCO vessels finally completed the Strait of Hormuz transit, signalling a potential shift in conditions for commercial shipping. The 'CSCL Indian Ocean' crossed the strait at 08:47 a.m. UTC, followed by the 'CSCL Arctic Ocean' at 09:14 a.m. Both vessels listed Chinese ownership and crew details in AIS and were currently bound for Port Klang, as they continued their voyage on COSCO’s MEX service, linking the Middle East with the Far East. The successful transit marks the first confirmed crossing by a major container carrier since the start of the conflict.