By Weilun Soon
June 30, 2026 (Bloomberg) – Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is picking up for the first time since Iran's recent attacks on ships in the area. More operators are now sending crude oil tankers into the Persian Gulf.
On Monday, around 24 cargo ships, including those transporting oil, liquefied natural gas, and bulk carriers, passed through the strait in both directions, according to data from Kpler. The trend continued on Tuesday, with a supertanker returning to the gulf alongside several smaller vessels.
These oil tankers can collectively hold about 11 million barrels of crude oil, indicating a growing confidence among shipowners to navigate through this waterway. The number of vessels using the Strait of Hormuz had declined following the initial attack on a container ship on Thursday.
The US carried out new strikes on Iran after the ship attacks, but both sides have since agreed to stop hostilities ahead of peace talks this week. Shipowners, traders, and global investors are closely monitoring the return of tankers to the gulf, which is essential for regional producers to restart oil production.
Among those entering the Persian Gulf, three supertankers operated by South Korea’s Sinokor sailed in empty on Monday while indicating they were traveling along Oman’s coast. A fourth tanker, which has been operational since April, started broadcasting its location from within the gulf, suggesting it is headed to Basrah in Iraq.
A Suezmax tanker built in 2026 and registered in the Marshall Islands, owned by a Greek operator, also signaled from the Persian Gulf, marking its first entry since the conflict began in late February. It is currently waiting for orders off Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. This tanker had previously reported its location in the Gulf of Oman on June 27, indicating it crossed with its transponder turned off.
The Nisalah, a large crude tanker operated by Saudi Arabia's National Shipping Co., also made an inbound trip. This empty supertanker is currently situated off Ras Tanura, the location of the largest Saudi refinery. Bahri has recently sent supertankers into the gulf, with four of them spotted near Ras Tanura last week.