Escorted by US Forces, Cargo Ship Successfully Crosses Strait of Hormuz

A US-flagged vehicle carrier cargo ship successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz escorted by US military assets on Monday (4 May) local time.

The transit activity, as reported by Al Arabiya on Tuesday (5 May 2026), was announced by Danish shipping and logistics company Maersk.

In its statement, Maersk noted that the Alliance Fairfax, a US-flagged vessel operated by Farrell Lines—a Maersk subsidiary—successfully exited the Gulf waters through the Strait of Hormuz, blockaded by Iran, accompanied by Washington’s military assets.

Maersk reported that the Alliance Fairfax’s transit through the Strait of Hormuz occurred without incident, with all crew members safe and uninjured.

The Alliance Fairfax is part of the US Maritime Security Programme, which provides financial support to dozens of private US-flagged commercial vessels ensuring transportation for the US military during wartime or national emergencies.

The Alliance Fairfax is one of hundreds of ships trapped in the Gulf waters following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz since early March.

At least one other US-flagged vessel remains in the Gulf region.

This latest transit occurred as US military forces, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), are actively assisting efforts to restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Around 20% of the world’s oil passes through this critical maritime route, before it was almost completely closed amid the war between the US and Israel against Iran that erupted in late February.

“As a first step, two US-flagged merchant vessels have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz,” claimed CENTCOM, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, in a statement via social media platform X on Monday (4 May) local time.

CENTCOM added that several US Navy destroyers are operating in the Gulf waters on a mission called “Project Freedom”.

Project Freedom is the latest US military mission, announced by President Donald Trump, to guide ships safely across the Strait of Hormuz, beginning on Monday (4 May) local time. This mission could challenge Iran’s measures to restrict navigation in the strategic waterway.

Previously, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) denied Washington’s claims that two US-flagged merchant vessels had passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC asserted that no commercial ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz throughout Monday (4 May) local time.

“The claims by American officials are baseless and entirely incorrect,” the IRGC emphasised.