Shipping activity plunges as American forces enforce restrictions on vessels linked to Iran, raising global concerns over energy flows and maritime security
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has remained minimal in the hours following the U.S. Navy’s blockade of the critical shipping route for vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports.
MarineTraffic reported on X that the Ostria, a 575-foot tanker flying the flag of Botswana, reversed course after approaching the strait from the Persian Gulf.
Martin Kelly, shipping expert and head of advisory at EOS Risk Group, said on X that the Hong Kong-flagged LPG tanker TRIMMU 3 approached Larak Island from the east before turning back and remaining in the Gulf of Oman.
The U.S. Navy blockade took effect at 10 a.m. ET on April 13, after peace talks with Iran held in Pakistan over the weekend ended without agreement.
Kelly noted that 14 ships transited the strait between April 13 and 4 a.m. ET on April 14, including six inbound vessels. Of those, four were on sanctions lists, several were identified by Lloyd’s List as part of Iran’s so-called shadow fleet, and two originated from Iranian ports.
This marks a sharp decline from the 138 vessels that had been passing daily in the weeks before the United States launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28.
Kelly added in a separate post that the blockade would not occur داخل the gulf itself, but rather that ships carrying Iranian cargo would likely be intercepted in the Arabian Sea, beyond the range of Iran’s anti-ship missiles.
Lloyd’s List reported on April 14 that the Malawi-flagged vessel Rich Starry initially turned back after entering the strait, then made a second attempt and exited into the Gulf of Oman later that morning.
The ship is owned by Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co. Ltd, a firm sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for trading with Iran.
Another vessel, the Murlikishan, an unladen tanker, transited the strait en route to Iraq to load fuel oil. Formerly known as MKA, it has transported Russian and Iranian oil and was sanctioned by the United States in December 2025.
The Panama-flagged Peace Gulf, which typically carries naphtha from Iran, is currently heading toward the port of Hamriyah in the United Arab Emirates.
In an April 13 post on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump stated, “34 Ships went through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, which is by far the highest number since this foolish closure began.”
TankerTrackers reported the same day that satellite imagery detected a tanker departing Iran’s Kharg Island while spoofing its Automatic Identification System to appear as though it had departed Saudi Arabia.
Such incidents follow a rise in GPS spoofing and jamming reported in September 2025, which disrupted global navigation satellite system data used across international shipping.
Trump formally announced the blockade on April 12 via Truth Social.
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of blockading any and all ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote.
U.S. Central Command later clarified that the blockade specifically targets vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, rather than all commercial traffic transiting the strait.
In response, Iran’s military warned on April 13 that no port in the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Oman would remain secure if the United States continued its naval blockade.
Prior to the blockade taking effect, four ships—including two large Chinese-owned oil tankers—successfully transited the strait on April 11, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
The vessels Cospearl Lake and Yuan Hua Hu, operated by China Cosco Shipping Corp., were bound for the Indian Ocean. Lloyd’s List reported that Cospearl Lake carried Iraqi crude oil, while Yuan Hua Hu transported oil from Saudi Arabia.
On April 13, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans for a conference later in the week to organize a “strictly defensive” mission aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz to civilian shipping without tolls.
Starmer stated on X that restrictions on the strait are “deeply damaging,” adding that restoring global shipping flows is essential to easing cost-of-living pressures. He noted that the United Kingdom has convened more than 40 nations to support freedom of navigation.
Macron emphasized that the initiative would be a peaceful multinational effort focused on restoring maritime access.
Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry on April 14 described the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports as “dangerous and irresponsible.”
