Tankers begin rerouting away from Strait of Hormuz amid US blockade threats

Oil tankers are avoiding the Strait of Hormuz ahead of a planned US blockade set to take effect on Monday following unsuccessful peace talks between the United States and Iran over the weekend, Reuters reports, citing shipping data.

According to maritime tracking data, tanker movements have become increasingly erratic after the US command announced an operation to block all vessels travelling to or from Iran.

Data from maritime systems LSEG and Kpler show what analysts describe as chaotic vessel activity in the region.

On April 12, the Pakistan-flagged tankers Shalamar and Khairpur entered the Persian Gulf. The Aframax tanker Shalamar is heading to the United Arab Emirates for loading Das crude oil, while the Panamax tanker Khairpur is bound for Kuwait to load refined petroleum products.

The Liberia-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC) Mombasa B, which also passed through the strait on April 12, is currently on a ballast voyage in the Persian Gulf.

The Malta-flagged VLCC Agios Fanourios I, which attempted to enter the Persian Gulf via the Strait on April 12 to load Iraqi crude from Basra for Vietnam, turned back and is now anchored in the Gulf of Oman, with plans to head toward Iraq.

Despite the standoff, three fully loaded supertankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz on April 11, marking what appears to be the first vessels to leave the Persian Gulf since last week’s ceasefire agreement.

Experts describe the move by US President Donald Trump as highly risky, noting that a blockade would require a sustained and large-scale naval presence. If successful, it could deprive Iran of a key leverage tool—its ability to use oil supply pressure.

However, analysts question the long-term feasibility of such an operation, saying it would require enormous resources and would be difficult for the US to maintain alone for months.

By Jeyhun Aghazada