JAKARTA - At least two warships sailing from an Iranian port crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Monday despite a US blockade, according to maritime tracking data on Tuesday.
They were among at least four vessels linked to Iran using the route after Washington's blockade came into force at 1400 GMT on Monday, according to maritime data provider Kpler, citing Al Arabiya.
The Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Christianna crossed the strait after unloading 74,000 tonnes of corn at Iran's Bandar Imam Khomeini port, passing the Iranian island of Larak in the strait at around 1600 GMT on Monday, according to Kpler data.
The second ship, the Comoros-flagged tanker Elpis, was near Larak Island at around 11.00 GMT and left the strait at around 16.00 GMT.
The vessel was carrying 31,000 tonnes of methanol, after leaving the port of Bushehr in Iran on March 31, according to Kpler data.
Previously, the US Central Command (US CENTCOM) said the blockade would target "vessels of all nations entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas."
A Chinese tanker, the Rich Starry, also crossed the strait overnight from Monday to Tuesday via an Iranian-approved inspection route south of Larak Island.
Kpler said the vessel was carrying 31,500 tonnes of methanol and was heading for Sohar in Oman, according to data from its transponder.
Meanwhile, the fourth ship, the Madagascan-flagged tanker Murlikishan, crossed the strait in a westerly direction towards the Gulf on Tuesday morning via the Larak Island route.
The vessel was empty and heading for the Iraqi port of Khor al Zubair, according to its transponder signals, Kpler said.
The airline is sanctioned by the US for trade related to Iran, and many of its previous trips to the Gulf were to Iran, taking Iranian bitumen and asphalt to be shipped to Asia.
Media, including the leading shipping journal Lloyd's List, interpreted the Chinese ship's journey as a "test" of US President Donald Trump's blockade.
Maritime analysts have warned for the past few weeks of conflict around the strait, signaling ships in the area have been disrupted and manipulated, making proper tracking difficult.
The Rich Starry ship was listed by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control as a sanctioned vessel for its ties to Iran.
The Elpis ship was also sanctioned by the US for its ties to Iran, but Christianna was not.
It is known that Iranian forces effectively closed the strait after the war broke out with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.
The United States on Sunday announced its own blockade after peace talks with Iran in Islamabad the day before stalled and failed to reach an agreement.
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