Second Bulk Carrier Claiming To Be Chinese Passes Through Strait Of Hormuz

Another bulk carrier signaled it was Chinese-owned as it sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf that's been effectively closed for a week due to multiple attacks in the area. 

The Liberia-flagged Sino Ocean broadcast its destination signal as "CHINA OWNER_ALL CREW" as it traversed the chokepoint. The vessel exited the strait Saturday, according to ship-tracking data, after picking up its cargo from the United Arab Emirates' Mina Saqr port on March 5. 

It's the second vessel this week to declare its links to China in the hope of ensuring safe passage through Hormuz. On Thursday, a bulk carrier called Iron Maiden changed its destination signal to "CHINA OWNER" as it made a break through the waterway while hugging the Omani coastline.

Traffic through the chokepoint has almost ground to a halt as the conflict in the region escalates, with the US, Israel and Iran pressing on with strikes and counterstrikes. Last weekend, a liquefied petroleum gas tanker - Bogazici - signaled it was Muslim-owned and Turkish, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid attacks as it passed through the strait.

The Sino Ocean sailed with its transponders on, clearly signaling its physical position to ships in the area. It's not clear what cargo it was carrying.

According to shipping database Equasis, the vessel is owned by Aquila Shipping Co. and managed by Sinocean Shipping HK Ltd., and both companies are based in China. Aquila Shipping doesn't have an active online presence, while Sinocean Shipping doesn't appear to have a working website.

Dozens of fully-laden bulk carriers and oil and gas tankers are hunkered down in the Persian Gulf as they steer clear of Hormuz. That's choked off supplies of everything from agricultural products to fuels for key customers in Asia and Europe. 

On Friday, the Trump administration announced a $20 billion reinsurance program aimed at reviving shipping through Hormuz. The US has also said its military may escort ships in the strait, but concrete plans haven't yet been communicated.

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