Eight Japanese ships depart Hormuz via passage near Iran

At least eight Mitsui OSK Lines vessels, including five supertankers, two chemical tankers, and a car carrier, are departing the Strait of Hormuz via a route near Iran after being trapped in the Persian Gulf since early March. Iran has asserted control over Hormuz, requiring vessels to obtain its authorization for transit, with the number of trapped large oil tankers expected to drop to just a few once these ships complete their crossing.