MV Banglar Joyjatra crosses Strait of Hormuz after 3.5 months

The Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) vessel MV Banglar Joyjatra has finally crossed the Strait of Hormuz after being stranded in the Persian Gulf for over three and a half months due to the ongoing US-Iran tensions. The vessel successfully transited the hazardous strait in the early hours of Monday, June 22, around 3:00 am.

BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek confirmed the matter, stating that after crossing the strait, the vessel is now heading towards Fujairah Port in the UAE to refuel.

According to global vessel tracking website Vessel Finder, at 9:10 pm Bangladesh time on Monday, the vessel was positioned parallel to Hengam Island between Iran's Qeshm Island and Oman's Khasab Port. The vessel's speed was recorded at 6.6 nautical miles per hour. An hour later, at 10:10 pm, the vessel had passed Hengam Island and was heading towards the Gulf of Oman at an increased speed of 7.1 nautical miles per hour.

After refuelling at Fujairah, the vessel will proceed to its next commercial destination in South Africa.

The BSC-owned bulk carrier had been chartered to a Singapore-based company. It had docked at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai on February 27, and just a day later, the US-Israeli military strikes against Iran began, trapping the vessel in a high-security risk zone. Multiple attempts to cross the strait were unsuccessful due to the volatile situation.

All 31 crew members on board are Bangladeshi citizens. Their return to safe waters has brought relief after a long period of anxiety and confinement.