LONDON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Vessel tracking data showed that around 10 ships turned back on Saturday while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, following Iran's renewed control over the strategic waterway.
According to shipping data from MarineTraffic, the vessels reversed course in waters off Larak Island, an area used by Iran to monitor maritime traffic.
The data indicated that most of the vessels involved were oil tankers, with several listing Indian ports as their destinations in their Automatic Identification System records.
On Friday, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that the Strait of Hormuz would remain "completely open" to commercial shipping during the two-week truce between Iran and the United States, which was followed by a surge in vessel movements in nearby waters.
However, Iran announced on Saturday that the control of the Strait has "reverted to its previous state" amid the continuing U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital corridor for global energy shipments. ■
