Cruise ship transits Strait of Hormuz after reopening, first since closure

The Malta-flagged cruise ship Celestyal Discovery passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, becoming the first vessel to transit the strategic waterway following its reopening.

Vessel tracking data showed the ship had been in the Arabian Gulf since early March.

Around 2,000 vessels had been stranded in the Gulf region after Iran closed the strait following US-Israeli attacks on Feb. 28.

US President Donald Trump said Friday that the waterway is now “completely open.”

He added that a US naval blockade targeting Iran will remain in place, applying only to Iranian ports until transactions with Tehran are “100% complete.”

Celestyal Discovery is operated by Greek company Celestyal Cruises.