By Weilun Soon Apr 17, 2026 (Bloomberg) – Over the weekend, a tanker flying the Pakistan flag became the first ship to pass through the Strait of Hormuz with crude oil since a US blockade was put in place on Monday. Th...
By Weilun Soon
Apr 17, 2026 (Bloomberg) – Over the weekend, a tanker flying the Pakistan flag became the first ship to pass through the Strait of Hormuz with crude oil since a US blockade was put in place on Monday. This highlights how traffic through this crucial shipping route is still very limited.
The Shalamar sailed just south of Iran's Larak Island and entered the Gulf of Oman late Thursday, carrying approximately 450,000 barrels of crude oil that it loaded at Das Island in the United Arab Emirates. This Aframax tanker, which is only half full, is headed to Karachi.
Since the US and Israeli strikes began at the end of February, transits through the Strait have mostly been very low, often just in single digits. After a brief increase over the weekend, the numbers have dropped back again. A US Navy blockade now requires shipowners to get clearance from both Iranian and American authorities to transport oil and other goods out of the Persian Gulf.
Last week, three supertankers carrying non-Iranian crude successfully left the region, but few others have made it through Hormuz in the past seven weeks, even before US warships tightened their presence. Although some vessels from Pakistan appeared to receive clearance from Iran, the Shalamar's successful crossing—just days after entering the Gulf—stands out as especially rare.
Before the recent US actions, Iran’s fleet was still managing to transport nearly 1.7 million barrels per day of crude exports in March. That flow has now significantly slowed as both sides consider starting new negotiations.
The Shalamar initially tried to cross Hormuz into the Persian Gulf on Sunday but turned around when US-Iran peace talks collapsed. It made the crossing a few hours later and headed towards Das Island in the UAE.
Following a new US blockade announced by President Donald Trump, which began on Monday, shipowners have had to rethink the risks of crossing. On Thursday, the Shalamar changed direction and is currently in the Gulf of Oman moving towards the Arabian Sea.
Since the start of the US blockade, only a few vessels have attempted to leave the Persian Gulf, with some even turning back through Hormuz. The US Central Command reported on Thursday that 14 ships have turned around in just three days.
The blockade extends from the Omani coast near Ras al Hadd, northeast to the Iran-Pakistan border, as shown in a map shared in an online video by the naval unit on Thursday.
On Friday, four vessels heading to non-Iran destinations were either making or approaching inbound transits, while two bulk carriers coming from Iran were seen moving out into the Gulf of Oman.
The Shalamar is owned and managed by Pakistan National Shipping Corp., as noted in maritime database Equasis. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.