By Weilun Soon

Mar 30, 2026 (Bloomberg) – Two container ships linked to China’s state-owned Cosco Shipping Corp. are making another attempt to exit the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz. This comes just days after they had to abandon a previous attempt, according to ship-tracking data from Bloomberg News.

The vessels, CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean, started sailing northeast from waters near Dubai on Monday morning. They are heading towards a channel located between Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands, which is close to the narrow entrance of the strait. These ships are listed as part of Cosco Shipping Lines Co.’s fleet, a subsidiary of Cosco Shipping Corp.

In response to US-Israeli attacks, Iran has restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, an essential route for global trade. Recently, only a few vessels approved by Tehran, including those carrying liquefied petroleum gas, have been allowed to pass through.

Both ships are indicating Chinese ownership and have a Chinese crew onboard as a strategy to ensure their safe passage through the area. They employed the same tactics on Friday when they turned back near Iran. It is still unclear why they chose to return instead of continuing their journey out of the Gulf.