Iranian tankers carrying 7 million barrels leave Gulf despite blockade

Four oil tankers flying Iranian flags have transited the Strait of Hormuz carrying a combined 7 million barrels of oil, according to maritime tracking firm Kpler. This marks the first significant passage of Iranian vessels through the strategic waterway since mid-April, when the United States implemented a blockade on Iranian ports.

The vessels, Hilda I, Amber, Silvia 1, and Happiness I, loaded their cargo in mid-April at Jark Island, Iran's primary oil terminal, which handles 90% of the country's crude exports. They crossed the strait on Monday with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders deactivated, a common tactic used to evade tracking.

Kpler relies heavily on satellite imagery to monitor such shipments. These four tankers typically transport Iranian crude oil to an offshore zone near Malaysia and Singapore. There, the oil is transferred to other tankers for final delivery to customers, often in China. Tehran has employed this method to circumvent international sanctions.

Initially, these tankers continued their operations despite the conflict. However, they paused their activities around April 13, coinciding with Washington's blockade of Iranian ports, which was a response to Tehran's earlier closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Kpler reported that three other tankers linked to Iran had defied the blockade on April 15, but no further attempts were made until these recent departures.

The U.S. military regularly announces actions against tankers attempting to violate its blockade, adding a layer of tension to these maritime movements.