They were signaling Chinese ownership on their tracking systems, a move typically done for safety during Iran-approved transits. The tankers are part of a growing armada amassing at the entrance to the strait, off the United Arab Emirates. A liquefied natural gas tanker sails past oil storage tanks at an oil refinery in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Wednesday. Ship owners yesterday said that they were still waiting on details on how safe passage can be carried out. While some vessels were able to pass through, that is based on the ship’s “individual situation,” Tamura said.

Source: Taipei Times April 09, 2026 17:15 UTC