MSC vessels seized as Hormuz tensions rise

April 23, 2026

Two containerships, MSC Francesca and Epaminondas, have been seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Xeneta, the vessels were sailing eastbound and were among six MSC ships transiting the Strait over the weekend, with AIS reportedly switched off. Four other ships are understood to have passed safely.

Peter Sand, Chief Analyst at Xeneta, said: “The extended ceasefire can be seen as a positive step, but if it brings a calming of conflict in the skies, that has not reached the water because there is no safe and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. This is the weaponization of trade, with both sides recognising the pain they can inflict with a bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Transit activity had shown tentative recovery, with 18 April recording 43 vessels, the highest since late February escalation, including 10 containerships. However, this remains well below normal levels, at around 10 per cent of typical flows.

Sand added: “The lowest number of transits was mid-March, but since then it has been gradually increasing despite the blockades, which have been leaky from the start. However, the latest seizures make clear, even an ‘open’ Strait of Hormuz is not a safe Strait of Hormuz for seafarers, ships and cargo.”

READ: AIS interference raises concerns in Strait of Hormuz

While operators continue limited transits, confidence remains fragile. Sand noted that sustained recovery depends on reliable intelligence and security assurances.

Freight markets are meanwhile beginning to stabilise, with rerouting via regional hubs such as Jeddah supporting continuity of flows into the Middle East. However, capacity constraints persist.

Spot rates from China to Jeddah have risen 63 per cent since late February but have eased 11 per cent in April to $4,969 per FEU, indicating early signs of market correction.

Sand concluded: “We see the first signs of freight rates coming down from the rapid rise in the aftermath of conflict. This shows the workarounds are functioning, but land bridges are constrained in terms of what kind and volume of goods they can handle.”

In March, European nations signalled reluctance to deploy naval forces to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even as the West faced mounting disruption to shipping and oil flows from the Middle East conflict.