Supertankers make sudden U-turn in Strait of Hormuz as US–Iran talks collapse Bloomberg says

Two empty supertankers attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf on April 12, but reversed course at the last moment, coinciding with the collapse of US–Iran peace negotiations and renewed uncertainty over a fragile ceasefire, Bloomberg reports.

According to ship-tracking data, three very large crude carriers, all without direct Iranian links, began approaching the narrow maritime corridor from the Gulf of Oman late on Saturday, April 11. By early Sunday, April 12, they had reached waters near Iran’s Larak Island, a key monitoring point at the entrance to the Strait.

At that point, two vessels — the Iraq-bound Agios Fanourios I and the Pakistan-flagged Shalamar, which was scheduled to proceed toward Das Island in the United Arab Emirates — altered their course and withdrew from the passage.

A third tanker, Mombasa B, continued forward and successfully navigated between Larak and Qeshm islands, following the Iran-approved shipping lane into the Persian Gulf. Its final destination has not yet been confirmed, and it is currently not transmitting a clear endpoint.

The reasons behind the abrupt course changes remain unclear. Both Iraq and Pakistan had previously been granted transit approvals by Iranian authorities, making the simultaneous reversals notable. Reports indicate the movements occurred shortly after negotiators in Islamabad announced the failure of a diplomatic agreement.

Agios Fanourios I is operated by a Greek maritime management company, while Shalamar is owned by Pakistan’s national shipping operator. Mombasa B, formerly known as Front Forth, is owned by a company registered in South Korea-linked management structures.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global energy chokepoint, and disruptions in recent weeks have intensified concerns over supply stability amid ongoing regional tensions.

By Jeyhun Aghazada