CS Anthem. Photo courtesy Crowley<\/p>\n
Crowley Confirms US-Flagged CS Anthem Safely Transited Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n
Crowley has confirmed that one of its managed vessels has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz, providing more visibility into the limited number of U.S.-flagged ships that have exited the Persian Gulf since the conflict began.<\/p>\n
In a statement,\u00a0Crowley Maritime\u00a0said the Crowley-managed vessel<\/p>\n
\u201chas safely completed its transit through the Strait of Hormuz.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe safety of our crews and vessel, and the continuity of service for our customers, remain our top priorities,\u201d the company said, while also recognizing \u201cthe professionalism of U.S. Navy and government partners who work globally to support maritime safety.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crowley declined to provide further operational details, noting that \u201cas a matter of policy, we do not discuss details of vessel routing or security arrangements.\u201d<\/p>\n
is now one of two U.S.-flagged commercial vessels confirmed to have transited the waterway under the Trump administration\u2019s newly launched \u201cProject Freedom\u201d operation, which seeks to evacuate ships via Oman\u2019s territorial waters, within a U.S.-backed \u201cenhanced security area\u201d to the south of the traditional Traffic Separation Scheme.<\/p>\n
A day earlier,\u00a0A.P. Moller \u2013 Maersk\u00a0confirmed that its U.S.-flagged roll-on\/roll-off vessel<\/p>\n
, operated by Maersk Line, Limited, had exited the Persian Gulf under U.S. military escort.<\/p>\n
Taken together, the movements represent the first verified transits tied to Washington\u2019s effort to guide stranded vessels out of the region. But they also underscore how tightly controlled those operations remain.<\/p>\n
have been confirmed to pass through the strait under these enhanced security conditions, with industry observers viewing them as highly coordinated, one-off transits rather than evidence of a broader reopening.<\/p>\n
\u201cMLL was contacted by the U.S. military and offered the opportunity for the vessel to exit the Gulf under U.S. military protection,\u201d Maersk said in a statement to gCaptain. \u201cFollowing the development and coordination of a comprehensive security plan with the U.S. military, MLL\u2019s shoreside and shipboard leadership approved the transit. The vessel subsequently exited the Persian Gulf accompanied by U.S. military assets.\u201d<\/p>\n
The confirmations align with earlier statements from\u00a0U.S. Central Command\u00a0that two American-flagged merchant vessels had transited the strait as part of the \u201cProject Freedom\u201d effort. While both ships are now identified, no additional commercial movements have been publicly confirmed.<\/p>\n
Both vessels are among a small group of U.S.-flagged ships that had been effectively stranded in the Gulf since late February. They are enrolled in either the Maritime Security Program (MSP) or the Tanker Security Program (TSP), which ensure the availability of commercially operated U.S.-flagged vessels for military logistics during crises.<\/p>\n
, a 49,990-metric-ton medium-range tanker, is crewed and managed by Crowley under a bareboat charter arrangement and operates within the Tanker Security Program, replacing the<\/p>\n
following its 2025 collision.<\/p>\n
Despite these successful transits, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz\u2014one of the world\u2019s most critical energy chokepoints\u2014remains sharply constrained. Persistent risks, including mine threats, drone activity, and an expanded military presence, continue to deter a broader return of commercial traffic.<\/p>\n