A third Iran-linked tanker entered the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday during the first full day of a U.S. blockade targeting vessels calling at Iranian ports, according to shipping tracking data. The blockade had been announced by U.S. President Donald Trump after weekend peace talks in Islamabad between the U.S. and Iran concluded without an agreement. Because the transiting vessels were not bound for Iranian docks, they were not subject to the blockade.
Kpler data indicated that the third vessel typically moves Iranian naphtha, a petrochemical feedstock, to non-Iranian Middle Eastern ports for export to Asia. Ahead of that transit, two U.S.-sanctioned tankers also navigated the narrow channel. One was the handy tanker Murlikishan, formerly known as MKA, which was bound for Iraq to load fuel oil on April 16 after previously hauling Russian and Iranian petroleum.
Another sanctioned vessel, the medium-range tanker Rich Starry, was the first to navigate the strait to exit the Gulf since the blockade took effect, according to tracking data from LSEG and Kpler. The tanker was carrying around 250,000 barrels of methanol loaded at its previous port of call in Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates. The ship and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, were previously placed under U.S. sanctions over dealings with Iran. The company could not be reached immediately for comment.
China's foreign ministry stated on Tuesday that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports is "dangerous and irresponsible," warning that the measure would aggravate existing tensions. The ministry did not state whether Chinese vessels were navigating the strait.
Sources
- EnergyNow.com · 2026-09-25
