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Hi. Dave Muller here. I live near Gonubie and host a relay station for the Marine Traffic ship tracking company that has suddenly become relevant known due to the blockade of the Hormuz Strait.

As someone curious about shipping movements and in particular, the large passanger ships that pass by Gonubie, I keep track of these ships to see where they are in the world. Five of them were trapped in the Persain Gulf by the closure of the Hormuz Strait.

What is curious is that despite the blockade, all five managed to escape through the strait when the ban was lifted by Iran about a week ago. What puzzles me is, why did these five huge and highly visiible and I would presume juicy targets get through the strait unharmed and not the hundred of other ships still trapped in the Persain Gulf.

Currently, based on what I see on the Marine Traffic App, three of these ships are heading for Cape Town:

Mein Schiff 5

Mein Schiff 4

Celestrial Journey

and two are heading for the Suez Channal

Celestrail Discovery

MSC Euribia

I find it odd that news reports constantly state that no, or very few, ships escaped the Gulf and yet these five large vessels did. Was there some agrrement made with Iran regarding passanger vessels.

Just maybe there is something to investige in this.

Thanks for the trusty reporting.

Dave Muller

Thanks for this, Dave! @John_Stupart, any thoughts?