US Naval Blockade Makes Little Dent To Hormuz Traffic On Day 1, Eight Ships Cross

Last Updated:April 15, 2026, 18:14 IST

At least eight ships crossed the strait on the first day of the blockade, even as overall traffic remained far below pre-war levels.

There was little change in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the first full day after the US imposed a blockade on vessels calling at Iranian ports.

At least eight ships, including three Iran-linked tankers, crossed the waterway, news agency Reuters reported, citing shipping data.

US President Donald Trump announced the blockade on Sunday after weekend peace talks in Islamabad between the US and Iran failed to reach a deal.

War-risk insurers, oil companies and shippers continue to face uncertainty due to the blockade, while overall traffic remains at only a fraction of the 130-plus daily crossings recorded before the US and Israel’s war on Iran began on February 28, the Reuters report said, citing industry sources.

“During the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the US blockade," the US Central Command said on X, adding that six vessels complied with directions from US forces to turn back and re-enter an Iranian port.

The three Iran-linked vessels that transited the strait were not heading to Iranian ports and were therefore not affected by the blockade.

The Panama-flagged Peace Gulf, a medium-range tanker, is heading to Hamriyah port in the United Arab Emirates, LSEG data showed.

The vessel typically transports Iranian naphtha, a petrochemical feedstock, to other non-Iranian Middle Eastern ports for export to Asia, according to Kpler data.

Prior to this, two US-sanctioned tankers had passed through the narrow waterway.

The handy tanker Murlikishan is heading to Iraq to load fuel oil on April 16, Kpler data showed. The vessel, formerly known as MKA, has transported Russian and Iranian oil.

Another sanctioned tanker, Rich Starry, would be among the first to pass through the strait and exit the Gulf since the blockade began, according to data from LSEG and Kpler.

The tanker and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co, were placed under US sanctions for dealing with Iran.

Rich Starry is a medium-range tanker carrying about 250,000 barrels of methanol. It loaded the cargo at its last port of call, Hamriyah in the UAE, the data showed. The Chinese-owned tanker has a Chinese crew on board.

Five other vessels have sailed through the strait since the blockade began at 1400 GMT on Monday. These included two chemical and gas tankers, two dry bulk vessels and the Ocean Energy cargo ship, which docked at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port.

News world US Naval Blockade Makes Little Dent To Hormuz Traffic On Day 1, Eight Ships Cross

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