Hong Kong ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz face restricted waterways and rare passages.

A Hong Kong-owned bulk carrier has just passed through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf. In the current geopolitical tensions, only a very small number of ships can safely navigate this waterway, and most require permission from Iran, making this journey rare. According to ship tracking data compiled by the market, a small bulk carrier named "Jia Xiang Da" approached this strategic chokepoint in the Gulf of Oman on Monday night and headed westward into the Persian Gulf. By Tuesday morning, the vessel was spotted near the Iranian coast, heading towards the island of Qeshm, with its signal indicating an expected arrival at the Umm Qasr port in Iraq on Wednesday. The ship's draft readings indicate that it is sailing empty. Since the US launched attacks over two weeks ago, the passage through the Strait of Hormuz has been closely monitored. Iran's retaliatory attacks essentially closed off this narrow waterway. Since then, only ships from Iran, China, and a few other countries have completed the journey, representing only a small fraction of the normal traffic during peaceful times. According to maritime database Equasis, this vessel operating between China and the Middle East flies the Panamanian flag but is owned and managed by Jia Xiang Da Shipping Co Ltd. based in Hong Kong. Commodity traders and the global shipping industry are closely watching whether countries, including China, can send ships through the strait. Countries such as India and Turkey have sought negotiated safe passage rights. Although negotiations between Tehran and Beijing regarding the Strait of Hormuz have not been officially confirmed, recent signals from ships attempting to traverse this narrow passage have shown Chinese ownership. This small bulk carrier appears to be the second ship related to China observed entering the Persian Gulf since the conflict erupted. Hours after the conflict broke out, another small bulk carrier owned by a company in Shanghai was found in the Persian Gulf, with its signal indicating its previous location in the Gulf of Oman.