Chinese oil tankers transit Strait of Hormuz after ceasefire, data shows

Two Chinese supertankers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to shipping data, in what appears to be the first such movement following a recent US–Iran ceasefire agreement.

LSEG tracking data showed the Very Large Crude Carriers Cospearl Lake and He Rong Hai, both chartered by Unipec — the trading arm of China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) — entered and exited a “Hormuz Passage trial anchorage” route on April 11, bypassing Iran’s Larak Island, British media reports.

The vessels’ movements suggest a cautious resumption of normal tanker traffic through one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints, which handles a significant share of global oil shipments.

The transit comes days after reports of a US–Iran ceasefire deal, which has eased tensions in the region but left shipping markets watching closely for signs of stability.

By Aghakazim Guliyev