A bulk cargo carrier that managed to escape through Iran’s blockade on the Strait of Hormuz is set to arrive in Western Australia.
The Japanese-owned Iron Maiden will be the first known ship to dock in Australia after it was stranded in the Persian Gulf when the United States and Israel first bombed Iran on February 28.
Tracking the ship over the past month shows how it made its daring getaway as Iran attacked and threatened vessels across the gulf and the critical shipping lane.
Iron Maiden was docked in Dubai’s Jebel Ali commercial port when the war broke out.
Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz — the only way out of the Persian Gulf — slowed to a crawl as crews and ship owners contended with the risk of an Iranian attack, and a sudden spike in insurance premiums.
According to Iron Maiden’s tracking data on March 2, it offloaded its cargo and departed the port, joining the queue of other ships in the gulf.
Iron Maiden left the Dubai port on March 2
For two days, it appeared to float in limbo, mulling its chances of surviving a run at the strait.
Late on March 4, it made its move.
Iron Maiden transits the Strait of Hormuz on March 5
Iron Maiden darted towards the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz as the sun set, sailing through the night while broadcasting “CHINA OWNER” from its transponder.
Just before 2am, local time, on March 5, shrouded by darkness, it started its precarious journey through the passage.
The ship hugged the southern-most side of the shipping lane away from Iran, while powering through at 22 kilometres an hour, close to top speed for a bulk carrier of its size.
Then it cut off its tracking signal as it sailed through the Strait of Hormuz.
Just over an hour later, it began broadcasting its location again from the other side, picking up speed to 25km/h as it left the Middle East.
Iron Maiden stopped off in Singapore on March 17, then headed towards Western Australia’s Kwinana port, where it is expected to arrive on Thursday without any cargo.
The ship’s Singapore-based operator, Cetus Maritime Asia Pty Ltd, was contacted by the ABC for comment.
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