Strait of Hormuz Traffic Crippled by Dual U.S. and Iranian Blockades
Marine traffic in the critical Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted once again, with only four vessels managing to cross the strategic waterway since Sunday, according to data from marine tracking firms. The disruption stems from separate blockades imposed by both Tehran and Washington, creating a tense standoff in one of the world's most vital shipping lanes.
Blockades and Limited Crossings
Iran announced on Friday that it would reopen the strait, but the United States did not reciprocate for vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports. Dozens of commercial ships passed through briefly before Iran reclosed the passage on Saturday, warning that any approaching vessel would be treated as a target. Since Sunday, tracking data from Kpler shows that only four ships have made the crossing in either direction, highlighting the severe impact on global shipping routes.
One of these vessels was the Iranian-flagged Nova Crest, which is sanctioned by the U.S. It headed out of the Gulf at around 0400 GMT on Monday and continued through the Gulf of Oman, as reported by Marine Traffic. However, U.S. blockades are typically enforced when vessels reach the Iranian border with Pakistan. Another crossing involved the gas tanker Axon I, which Iran allowed into the Gulf on Monday, destined for the UAE and thus not subject to the U.S. blockade.
Vessel Movements and Interceptions
The gas tanker G Summer crossed in the opposite direction on Sunday, having entered the Gulf earlier in the week but without docking at an Iranian port. It was last detected near the open sea close to Muscat, Oman. The fourth vessel, the Panama-flagged Starway owned by China-based Hechuang International Group, passed westwards through the Iran-approved route at around 0800 GMT on Monday but made a U-turn around 1200 GMT and was last detected heading back towards the strait.
Since the start of the blockade, U.S. forces have directed 27 vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port, as stated by the U.S. military on Monday. Notable interceptions include the sanctioned container ship Shamim, whose progress was halted by the U.S. on Sunday near the Iranian port of Chabahar, and the Iranian-flagged bulk carrier Artman, which was redirected to Chabahar after being intercepted by the U.S. at around 2130 GMT Sunday.
Incidents and Broader Impact
Iran has also taken action to enforce its closure, with New Delhi summoning the Iranian ambassador on Saturday to protest a "shooting incident" involving two Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, the French-flagged container ship CMA CGM Everglade reported being hit by "an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers," according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The brief opening of the waterway had little effect on reducing the number of vessels stuck in the Gulf. On Sunday, more than 750 commercial vessels transmitted signals from within the Gulf, with around 350 being oil or gas tankers, based on tracking data collated by Bloomberg. This congestion underscores the ongoing challenges in this key maritime corridor, with tensions between Iran and the U.S. continuing to disrupt global trade flows.
