A Japanese-owned bulk cargo ship pulled off a daring dash through Iran‘s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and continued its voyage to Australia by claiming it had a Chinese owner.

The vessel Iron Maiden is due to dock in Perth on Thursday after previously being stranded in the Persian Gulf following the United States and Israel‘s bombing of Iran on February 28.

Data showed it unloaded cargo in Dubai on March 2 before heading towards the Strait of Hormuz along with thousands of other ships.

For two days it sat in limbo under the threat of an Iranian attack before making its move on March 4.

As it approached Hormuz, the Japanese-owned ship broadcast ‘China owner’ from its transponder in a sneaky tactic as it sailed through the dangerous waterway at night at 22km/h – close to top speed for a bulk carrier of its size.

It then switched off its tracking signal for about an hour while moving through the Strait of Hormuz, before turning it back on once it reached the other side.

‘This pattern suggests the possibility of an informal access filter, where vessels signalling Chinese ownership or crew may be attempting to indicate neutrality or avoid targeting in the current conflict environment,’ analysts at Windward, a UK-based intelligence company, said.

The strategy reflects Iran’s growing control over traffic through the vital waterway, where vessels linked to friendly nations appear to receive preferential passage. 

Earlier this month, LPG tanker Bogazici broadcast that it was a Muslim-owned and Turkish-operated vessel in an effort to avoid attacks as it passed through the strait before escaping into the Indian Ocean.

Iron Maiden eventually made it to Singapore on March 17 and arrived off the Western Australian coast on March 24.

It is bound for Kwinana port, according to VesselFinder.

The carrier will be the first known ship to dock in Australia after being stranded in Dubai during the war.

But Iron Maiden will not help ease Australia’s deteriorating oil supply – as it transports dry goods.