Sanctioned Tankers Defy US Blockade in Tense Hormuz Strait Transit

The vessel, identified as Rich Starry, is owned by Full Star Shipping Ltd, linked to Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, and has been under US sanctions since 2023 over alleged ties to Iran. The ship previously sailed under the Hong Kong flag until April 2023, as reported by CNN, citing MarineTraffic data.

According to MarineTraffic, the tanker initially attempted to transit the Strait around noon UTC on Monday but briefly turned back near Iran's Qeshm Island before making a second attempt in the evening. By early Tuesday UTC, it appeared to have successfully passed through the waterway.

CNN reported that it was unable to independently confirm the vessel's departure port. Data from Kpler, a maritime analytics firm, indicated that the tanker was carrying methanol and was reportedly bound for China.

Meanwhile, another tanker on Monday (local time) also passed through the strategic chokepoint after the blockade took effect, according to Kpler data. The vessel, Elpis, registered in Comoros, was partially laden and had been sanctioned by the United States in 2025 for its involvement in the transport of Iranian petroleum as part of what Washington describes as Iran's "shadow fleet."

Earlier, CNN reported that the United States Navy is maintaining a presence of at least 15 ships in the Middle East region, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and 11 destroyers, which could potentially take part in a maritime blockade of Iran's ports, according to a US official, following orders from President Donald Trump.

However, it remains unclear which specific vessels are positioned or designated for participation in the blockade, as earlier assessments indicate that the naval assets are widely dispersed across the US Central Command's area of operations.

The deployed fleet includes the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln along with 11 destroyers, including the USS Bainbridge, USS Thomas Hudner, USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., USS Delbert D. Black, USS John Finn, USS Michael Murphy, USS Mitscher, USS Pinckney, USS Rafael Peralta, USS Spruance and USS Milius. In addition, the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, comprising USS Tripoli, USS New Orleans, and USS Rushmore, is also deployed in the region.

The naval formation is accompanied by multiple support and escort vessels; however, it would need to transit either through the Suez Canal or exit the Mediterranean Sea and sail around Africa before reaching a position suitable to support any blockade operations.

The US president imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, following marathon talks in Pakistan over the weekend that failed to yield any agreement.

- ANI