Japanese, French and Omani vessels transit Strait of Hormuz amid tensions

Shipping data show three Omani tankers plus a French-owned container ship and a Japanese-owned LNG carrier transited the Strait of Hormuz on April 2. The LNG carrier was the first to pass in about a month, breaking a gap in traffic. MarineTraffic tracking shows the vessels sailed along Oman's northern coast, and authorities did not disclose security arrangements. The movements matter because the Strait is a critical oil and gas chokepoint, making any transit a geopolitical signal amid regional hostilities and US statements about reopening the waterway.