By Mihir Mishra and Alex Longley
March 21, 2026 (Bloomberg) — Last week, the Iranian Navy guided an Indian liquefied petroleum gas tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. This allowed the vessel to follow a pre-approved route thanks to diplomatic efforts by New Delhi, as shared by a senior officer aboard the ship.
The officer, who requested to remain anonymous since the crew was not allowed to speak to the media, confirmed analysts' thoughts that Iran is attempting to control traffic in the strait. This system seems to favor friendly vessels while leaving others concerned about potential attacks.
During the journey, the officer said they communicated with the Iranian navy via radio. The Iranians collected details about the ship, including its flag, name, origin, destination ports, and the nationality of the crew members, all of whom were Indian. They were then guided along an agreed route.
“It looks like Iran is permitting certain vessels to pass through Hormuz after checking their information during transit in Iranian waters,” said Martin Kelly, head of advisory at EOS Risk Group. “While ships are being allowed to cross, it mainly benefits Iran.”
Iran's threats to ships traveling through the strait give it leverage over global energy markets, causing price increases and raising concerns about shortages of oil, natural gas, cooking fuel, and fertilizer. Approximately 20% of the world's oil typically flows through this route. Since the war began in late February, several vessels have been hit by missiles or drones in the strait, resulting in the deaths of at least two seafarers and soaring insurance costs. There are also reports of mines in the waterway.
Before entering the strait last week, crew members on the LPG tanker prepared their life rafts. They had been anchored in the Persian Gulf for around ten days when, on the morning of Friday, March 13, they learned they had received permission to make the transit that night.
In the past week, several ships have passed through a narrow channel between the Iranian islands of Larak and Qeshm, staying close to the Iranian coast. This includes two bulk carriers that had visited Iranian ports and a Pakistani-flagged vessel named Karachi.
The officer from the Indian LPG ship did not provide specific details about their route. They turned off their automatic identification system (AIS) during the journey, according to the officer and AIS data analyzed by Bloomberg, switching it back on only after reaching the Gulf of Oman safely. The officer also mentioned that GPS was not reliable due to interference since the conflict began, which made the crossing take hours longer than usual.
On the other side of the strait, Indian Navy ships were ready to escort them, displaying the national flag prominently, according to the officer. The vessel has since continued its journey to India.
Using shipping data, Bloomberg was able to confirm the ship’s starting and ending positions, along with other details shared by the officer to verify parts of the story.
India’s External Affairs and Shipping Ministry did not respond to requests for comment, nor did the Iranian embassy in India.
Anil Trigunayat, a former Indian ambassador to Jordan and Libya, stated that India's successful negotiation for safe passage demonstrates that diplomacy is possible. “Iran wouldn't want to sever ties with everyone at this moment,” he said. “India can also serve as a mediator when necessary. These factors have all contributed to India securing this opportunity.”