Bangladeshi vessel resumes voyage after Hormuz ceasefire

A Bangladesh-flagged ship stranded for nearly a month in the Persian Gulf has resumed its journey following a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

MV Banglar Joyjatra, owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, set sail at 8am on April 8 from Saudi Arabia’s Ras Al Khair Port carrying around 37,000 tonnes of fertiliser. The vessel had been stuck since March 11 after unloading cargo at Jebel Ali Port in the United Arab Emirates.

The ship, with 31 Bangladeshi sailors on board, is now heading toward the Strait of Hormuz, though authorities say it will wait in a safe zone before crossing, pending clearance and coordination with Iranian authorities.

According to officials, the journey to the strait’s entrance will take about 40 hours, during which the situation will be closely monitored before final approval is granted.

The vessel had earlier attempted to leave the high-risk area but was forced to turn back due to escalating conflict after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.

Meanwhile, another tanker, Nordic Pollux, carrying about 100,000 tonnes of crude oil for Bangladesh, remains stranded at Ras Tanura Port in Saudi Arabia. Authorities say no decision has yet been made on its movement, and it will depart only after receiving clearance to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz.