French-owned ship exits Strait of Hormuz in first western transit since war began
A French-linked container ship has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz, amid the differences between Paris and Washington over the war in West Asia.
A container ship signalling French ownership has exited the Iran-blocked Strait of Hormuz, in what appears to be the first known transit by a vessel linked to Western Europe since the conflict severely curtailed movement through the strategic waterway.
The CMA CGM Kribi sailed from waters off Dubai towards Iran on Thursday afternoon, with ship-tracking data indicating French ownership. The vessel hugged the Iranian coastline, passing through a channel between the islands of Qeshm and Larak while broadcasting its position. By Friday morning, it was reported to be off Muscat after successfully crossing the strait, according to Bloomberg News.
The transit comes amid stark differences between Paris and Washington over the Iran conflict and the future of the Strait of Hormuz. French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a firm stance against US President Donald Trump’s proposals on Iran, including suggestions of using force to secure the waterway, an idea Macron has publicly dismissed as "unrealistic".
Since the start of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran on February 28, Tehran has effectively restricted passage through the strait, targeting multiple vessels and reducing traffic through the crucial chokepoint – which typically handles about a fifth of global oil and LNG shipments – to near zero.
Iran has maintained that the restrictions apply primarily to ships linked to the US and its allies, while allowing limited transit for vessels from countries it considers friendly, subject to pre-approved routes. France and other Western allies have initiated diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation, though no breakthrough has been reported.
The CMA CGM Kribi is a Maltese-flagged vessel operated by CMA CGM SA, the world’s third-largest container shipping company. The group is majority-owned by the Saad family, whose founder established the business in Marseille in 1978 after emigrating from Lebanon.
Trump has unsuccessfully tried to reopen the strait and repeatedly warned Tehran of consequences, even urging allies to deploy warships to forcibly secure passage. However, key partners, including France, have declined to support any such military move.
On Thursday, Macron reiterated that launching a military operation to open the Strait of Hormuz would be both impractical and dangerous.
"Some people defend the idea of freeing the Strait of Hormuz by force via a military operation ... This was never the option we have supported because it is unrealistic," Macron told reporters.
He added: "It would take forever, and would expose all those who go through the Strait to risks from the Revolutionary Guards but also ballistic missiles".
Responding to Trump’s suggestion that countries could directly seize oil from the region, Macron stressed that any such move would require coordination with Iran.
"This is not a show. We're talking about war and peace... Let's be serious and not say one day the opposite of what we said the day before," he added, in an apparent swipe at Washington’s shifting stance.
The war of words also turned personal, with Trump mocking Macron over France’s refusal to join the US-Israel offensive. Macron hit back, saying the US president "talks too much" and that such remarks were "neither elegant nor befitting the office".
A container ship signalling French ownership has exited the Iran-blocked Strait of Hormuz, in what appears to be the first known transit by a vessel linked to Western Europe since the conflict severely curtailed movement through the strategic waterway.
The CMA CGM Kribi sailed from waters off Dubai towards Iran on Thursday afternoon, with ship-tracking data indicating French ownership. The vessel hugged the Iranian coastline, passing through a channel between the islands of Qeshm and Larak while broadcasting its position. By Friday morning, it was reported to be off Muscat after successfully crossing the strait, according to Bloomberg News.
The transit comes amid stark differences between Paris and Washington over the Iran conflict and the future of the Strait of Hormuz. French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a firm stance against US President Donald Trump’s proposals on Iran, including suggestions of using force to secure the waterway, an idea Macron has publicly dismissed as "unrealistic".
Since the start of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran on February 28, Tehran has effectively restricted passage through the strait, targeting multiple vessels and reducing traffic through the crucial chokepoint – which typically handles about a fifth of global oil and LNG shipments – to near zero.
Iran has maintained that the restrictions apply primarily to ships linked to the US and its allies, while allowing limited transit for vessels from countries it considers friendly, subject to pre-approved routes. France and other Western allies have initiated diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation, though no breakthrough has been reported.
The CMA CGM Kribi is a Maltese-flagged vessel operated by CMA CGM SA, the world’s third-largest container shipping company. The group is majority-owned by the Saad family, whose founder established the business in Marseille in 1978 after emigrating from Lebanon.
Trump has unsuccessfully tried to reopen the strait and repeatedly warned Tehran of consequences, even urging allies to deploy warships to forcibly secure passage. However, key partners, including France, have declined to support any such military move.
On Thursday, Macron reiterated that launching a military operation to open the Strait of Hormuz would be both impractical and dangerous.
"Some people defend the idea of freeing the Strait of Hormuz by force via a military operation ... This was never the option we have supported because it is unrealistic," Macron told reporters.
He added: "It would take forever, and would expose all those who go through the Strait to risks from the Revolutionary Guards but also ballistic missiles".
Responding to Trump’s suggestion that countries could directly seize oil from the region, Macron stressed that any such move would require coordination with Iran.
"This is not a show. We're talking about war and peace... Let's be serious and not say one day the opposite of what we said the day before," he added, in an apparent swipe at Washington’s shifting stance.
The war of words also turned personal, with Trump mocking Macron over France’s refusal to join the US-Israel offensive. Macron hit back, saying the US president "talks too much" and that such remarks were "neither elegant nor befitting the office".
