Chinese shipping giant Cosco has instructed vessels in or heading toward the Gulf to move to safe waters amid escalating tensions following reported US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

The state-owned Shanghai-based company directed ships that have already entered the Gulf to complete operations where safe and then proceed to designated safe waters for anchoring or waiting. Vessels bound for the region have been advised to reduce speed, prioritize navigational safety, or wait at sheltered anchorages for further instructions.

Cosco said it is reviewing contingency plans for cargo aboard affected ships, including possible alternative discharge ports. The move comes as traffic in the vital waterway faces disruption after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly declared the Strait of Hormuz closed.

Other global shipping giants, including Maersk and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, have also suspended operations in the region due to rising security concerns.

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Meanwhile, state media in Oman reported that an oil tanker near its coast was targeted, leaving four crew members injured. UK authorities also confirmed that a vessel near the UAE coast reported being hit by an unknown projectile, causing a fire.

Maritime experts warn that prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz — a key oil transit route — could impact global energy supply chains and trade flows.