Dozens of Container Ships Remain Stuck in Gulf Amid Hormuz Disruption

(MENAFN) A large number of commercial container ships remain unable to leave the Persian Gulf two months after the Strait of Hormuz was effectively shut to regular container traffic, according to maritime tracking analysis based on industry data.

Ship-tracking platform MarineTraffic, citing Kpler data, reported that 42 container vessels operated by major global shipping companies are still trapped inside the Gulf.

At the time the disruption began, 53 ships belonging to the world’s largest carriers were in the area, with around 79% still unable to exit the strategic passage.

Only nine vessels have managed to leave, while two ships reportedly needed a second attempt to successfully pass through the strait. Both of those vessels were operated by China’s COSCO, which is the only carrier recorded to have achieved successful passage after an initial failure.

The data also showed significant differences among shipping companies. French operator CMA CGM had 15 vessels in the Gulf, 13 of which remain unable to leave, representing a high entrapment rate. MSC had 14 ships in the region, with eight still stranded. Two MSC vessels were reportedly seized by Iranian authorities, while another was damaged by debris.

Other carriers have also been affected: Maersk had six ships in the Gulf, with five still unable to exit, while COSCO had five vessels in total, including those that eventually managed to depart. Wan Hai, Evergreen, Yang Ming, Ocean Network Express, and HMM have reportedly seen no successful exits during the disruption.

The situation has significantly reduced global shipping capacity, removing tens of thousands of standard container units from circulation and preventing vessels from generating revenue while crews remain stranded at sea.

According to the analysis, cargo operators have been forced to restructure supply chains as a result, while monitoring efforts continue to assess how alternative ports are handling redirected trade and whether they can manage sustained pressure.

The report described the situation as one of the largest involuntary concentrations of commercial vessels in modern maritime history.

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