Iraq-bound supertanker makes second run at Hormuz blockade

A supertanker heading to Iraq made a second attempt Wednesday (April 15) to pass through the Strait of Hormuz into the Arabian Gulf, even as Iran warned that Red Sea trade could grind to a halt as US naval blockade threatens the fragile ceasefire.

The crude carrier Agios Fanourios I, which is not blacklisted by any jurisdiction, becomes the first crude tanker to move west through the Hormuz chokepoint since the US began a naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman on Monday.

The Malta-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC) was broadcasting a route to Basrah, Iraq, according to vessel-tracking data.

On Wednesday morning local time, the Agios Fanourios I was making its way through the Strait of Hormuz along a Tehran-approved route between the islands of Qeshm and Larak, according to ship-tracking data cited by Bloomberg.

The supertanker first attempted to move into the Gulf on Sunday, but the journey was cut short after the 21-hour-long U.S.-Iran talks collapsed without any progress. On Sunday, the Agios Fanourios I made a U-turn before the Strait of Hormuz.

This is now the second attempt of the tanker to pass the chokepoint.

The US blockade is targeting to choke off Iranian oil exports and the movements of Iran-linked vessels in the area.

Ship-tracking data showed the tanker moving through the strait along a Tehran-approved corridor between the islands of Qeshm and Larak, after aborting an earlier attempt when US-Iran talks collapsed.

The vessel is expected to load crude for delivery to a refinery in Vietnam, according to reports.

Though there had been reports of "spoofing", shippers and tanker owners are still wary of transits in the area over uncertainty about the system and the rules of engagement.

'Zero ships' broke through blockade

On Thursday, the US Central Command claimed "zero" ships broke through as it had "completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea", adding that 10 vessels had complied with orders to turn back toward Iranian ports.

While the US blocks Iranian shipments out of the Gulf, “Iranian oil flows continue through indirect distribution networks, with significant volumes accumulating offshore rather than transiting directly through Hormuz,” maritime intelligence firm Windward said on Tuesday.

As of April 13, the day on which the US blockade began, at least 11 tankers carrying about 20 million barrels of Iranian oil were positioned offshore Malaysia within a ship-to-ship transfer hub.

“These vessels are likely awaiting counterpart vessels for offloading or preparing for onward movement,” Windward said.

Iran’s military warned Wednesday it could shut down Red Sea trade if the United States did not lift its naval blockade on Tehran’s ports, saying the ceasefire was at risk.

Maritime tracking data in the Strait of Hormuz painted a less definitive picture, while Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported Wednesday that shipping from southern Iran was continuing.

Maritime intelligence firm Windward said Iranian oil continues to move through indirect networks, with tankers gathering offshore instead of transiting Hormuz directly.

Windward said at least 11 tankers carrying about 20 million barrels of Iranian oil were positioned offshore Malaysia in a ship-to-ship transfer hub as of April 13. It said those vessels were likely waiting for counterpart ships to offload cargo or move the oil onward.

Iran’s military warned Wednesday it could disrupt Red Sea shipping if the United States does not lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, raising doubts about the durability of a ceasefire between the two countries.

The threat came as President Donald Trump signaled that peace talks may resume this week.

Tehran confirmed contacts have continued through Pakistan after an initial round of negotiations stalled.

Amid claims and counterclaims, the current standoff underscores the uncertainty surrounding the blockade, which the US says is aimed at choking off Iranian oil exports and restricting Iran-linked shipping.