Tanker convoy traverses Strait of Hormuz via Omani coastline
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- At least five commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz using a route close to Oman despite reported IRGC warnings.
- Shipping traffic is showing signs of recovery after several vessels turned back a day earlier.
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz showed signs of recovery on Sunday, with at least five vessels successfully transiting the strategic waterway despite reported warnings from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to MarineTraffic data, the convoy was led by the Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker Hafeet and included three tankers transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), along with a container ship. The vessels followed a route close to the Omani coastline as they headed toward the Gulf of Oman.
The crossings came after the IRGC said its navy had deployed patrol boats to block what it described as the "Omani route" and issued radio warnings to ships using the corridor, according to Iranian media and a Telegram channel affiliated with the force.
Tehran maintains that vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz must receive its permission and follow routes designated by Iranian authorities. However, an increasing number of commercial ships have opted for a passage closer to Oman, potentially reducing Iran's influence over traffic through the strategic chokepoint.
MarineTraffic data also showed that several vessels, including a Chinese-owned bulk carrier and a Chinese-owned chemical tanker, crossed the strait in the opposite direction on Sunday using a route closer to the Iranian side of the channel.
On Saturday, several ships attempting to use the Omani route made abrupt U-turns before completing the transit. Shipping intelligence firm Windward said those reversals coincided with the presence of IRGC patrol boats operating in the area.
By Sunday, four of the eight vessels that had initially turned back the previous day had successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting commercial traffic is gradually returning despite heightened tensions.
