The ro-ro “was in the Persian Gulf at the time hostilities between the United States and Iran erupted in February and was unable to leave due to ongoing security concerns.”
Danish container freight giant Maersk said on Tuesday that one of its ships, the US-flagged Alliance Fairfax, had left the Strait of Hormuz. “The FAIRFAX ALLIANCE, a US-flagged vehicle-carrying vessel operated by Farrell Lines, Inc., a subsidiary of the US carrier Maersk Line Limited (MLL), passed through the Strait of Hormuz and departed the Persian Gulf on May 4,” Maersk said in a forwarded statement.
“The transit took place without incident and all crew members are safe and sound,” said the shipowner. The ship was “accompanied by American military assets”.
The ro-ro “was in the Persian Gulf at the time hostilities between the United States and Iran erupted in February and was unable to leave due to ongoing security concerns,” it said.
A fragile ceasefire
Two merchant ships flying the American flag were able to “successfully” cross this strategic passage, Centcom, the American military command for the region, announced on Monday.
Since the Israeli-American offensive on February 28, Iran has controlled the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s production of oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes. Washington responded with a blockade of Iranian ports. A ceasefire has been in force since April 8, but was weakened on Monday by clashes between Iranians and Americans around the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of fire from Iran towards one of its Gulf neighbors, the United Arab Emirates.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
