(March 17): A Hong Kong-owned bulk carrier has just entered the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, a rare occurrence at a time when only a handful of vessels are safely transiting the waterway, most of them with Iran’s approval. The Jia Xiang Da, a small-sized bulk carrier, approached the chokepoint from the Gulf of Oman late Monday, and traversed westwards into the Persian Gulf, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg News show. Draft readings indicate that the vessel is empty. Transit through the strait has been closely monitored since US and Israeli attacks began just over two weeks ago, prompting Iran to retaliate with attacks that have effectively closed the narrow waterway. Iranian, Chinese and a handful of other vessels have made the trip since — but they represent just a fraction of the usual traffic.

Source: The Edge Markets March 17, 2026 08:31 UTC