Investing.com -- At least eight vessels controlled by Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd. are leaving the Strait of Hormuz through a passage near Iran, including some of the final trapped oil tankers to depart the waterway.

The ships consist of five supertankers, each able to transport 2 million barrels of crude, two chemical tankers and a car carrier, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and database Equasis showed. The vessels are traveling in a convoy, with some having previously tried to exit before abandoning their attempts.

Iran has worked to establish control over Hormuz, through which one-fifth of all oil moved before the war, since reaching an interim peace agreement with the US last month. Over the weekend, several tankers stopped trying to cross Hormuz using a US-managed route along the Oman coast. Some vessels then completed their transits by switching to a route closer to Iran, which has stated repeatedly that it will only permit ships with its authorization to cross.

If the vessels finish their crossing, the number of large oil tankers trapped in the Persian Gulf at the war's start would drop to just a few, down from more than 100 in early March.

Mitsui OSK Lines, one of the world's largest oil and gas tanker owners, is among shipowners that have indirectly sought support from Tokyo to remove their vessels. Import-dependent Japan has called on Iran multiple times to ensure free transit through Hormuz. Japanese officials held talks with Iranian counterparts at various points during the conflict as Tokyo pushed Tehran for safe passage.

MOL stated in June that it would only resume navigation through Hormuz after full safety confirmation, noting that close coordination with relevant governments and insurance firms among other stakeholders is necessary before operations can restart.