By Weilun Soon On April 15, 2026, the supertanker Agios Fanourios I successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf on its second attempt. This marks it as the first crude oil carrier to move wes...
By Weilun Soon
On April 15, 2026, the supertanker Agios Fanourios I successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf on its second attempt. This marks it as the first crude oil carrier to move westward since the US implemented a blockade on Iran’s ports.
Traffic remains very limited in this critical passage. Some vessels that managed to cross into the Gulf of Oman as the blockade began eventually turned back, including the US-sanctioned tanker Rich Starry. The US reported that six ships altered their courses on the first day of the blockade, but did not provide further details.
According to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, one unnamed supertanker reportedly entered Iranian waters through Hormuz in spite of US naval presence. This could refer to the Alicia, which is now moving from the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf.
While Iranian forces control part of Hormuz and the US blockade targets vessels linked to Iran, some ships have been navigating through the strait in both directions, as shown by tracking data. However, no Iranian tankers have been seen trying to exit the Persian Gulf, likely due to the threat posed by the US Navy. The data does not account for ships that may attempt to cross while their transponders are turned off.
Iran is reportedly considering a short pause on shipments to avoid provoking the blockade and to keep the door open for potential peace negotiations, as Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
The Agios Fanourios I, which is not on any blacklist and is headed for Basrah, Iraq, to pick up cargo, passed through the strait on a route approved by Tehran, navigating between the islands of Qeshm and Larak. A bulk carrier, the Seachampion, which delivered agricultural goods to Iran last week, traveled in the opposite direction shortly after, heading south of Larak towards the Gulf of Oman.
A fleet of US warships is attempting to exert pressure on Iran by limiting its oil exports and is closely monitoring traffic in the Gulf of Oman outside the strait.
Since Monday, shipowners, energy traders, and investors have been observing transits through the strait to gauge how both Tehran and Washington are managing this vital shipping lane and to look for indicators of potential peace.
The Agios Fanourios I had to turn back on Sunday during its first attempt to enter the Persian Gulf after US-Iran talks ended unsuccessfully in Islamabad. Attempts to contact the ship’s management, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, outside normal hours went unanswered.
The Seachampion will test a US promise that humanitarian shipments, including food and medical supplies, are allowed with prior inspections. It departed from Iran’s Bandar Imam Khomeini, a key grain import port, on Monday, within a grace period offered by the US before the blockade took effect, indicating that it is headed for Shinas, an Omani port.
Traffic through the chokepoint has been nearly at a standstill since the US and Israel began strikes against Iran at the end of February. Last weekend, traffic increased slightly with three oil supertankers successfully passing through on Saturday. However, the collapse of peace talks and threats of blockade led shipowners to be cautious and avoid transit until the engagement rules are clarified.
The Rich Starry has since moved westward in the strait and is currently near Qeshm Island, indicating it is awaiting further instructions, which suggests uncertainty about its destination. As per ship-tracking data, it still carries the same cargo it had when it left the Persian Gulf, but the nature of the shipment remains unclear.
Meanwhile, the Alicia has also entered the Persian Gulf. This empty supertanker, which was sanctioned last year under its previous name Montrose due to its ties with the Iranian oil trade, is now leaving the strait. It initially signaled a course to Iraq’s Basrah but has since switched to indicate that it is waiting for orders.
Attempts to reach Alicia's owner and manager, Placencia Services Inc., were unsuccessful.