Despite the US blockade, Iranian-related tanker ships still enter the Gulf
JAKARTA - The United States blockade of ships associated with Iranian ports has not completely closed the movement of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. According to a report by Arab News quoted on Thursday, April 16, another supertanker on the US sanctions list still crossed the strait and entered the Gulf region.
Shipping data from LSEG and Kpler showed the tanker RHN entered the Gulf on Wednesday. RHN is a VLCC or Very Large Crude Carrier type ship, a giant tanker that can carry up to 2 million barrels of oil. When passing, the ship was recorded in an empty condition and its final destination is not yet known.
The entry of RHN occurred a day after the tanker Alicia, which was also subject to US sanctions, crossed the Strait of Hormuz. Based on Kpler data, Alicia is heading to Iraq.
According to the same data, RHN and Alicia both have a history of transporting Iranian oil in recent years.
The blockade was announced by US President Donald Trump on Sunday, after peace talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad over the weekend failed to produce an agreement. US Central Command said 10 ships had been forced to turn back and no ships had managed to break through the blockade since it was imposed on Monday.
However, Iran's Fars news agency reported on Wednesday that an Iranian supertanker that was also subject to US sanctions managed to cross the Strait of Hormuz to Imam Khomeini Port. Fars did not mention the name of the ship or the details of its voyage.
The Arab News report also noted that there were ships that had been forced to retreat and then return again. One of them was Rich Starry, a tanker that on Wednesday returned to the Gulf a day after leaving.
Washington also warned of the possibility of imposing secondary sanctions, namely economic penalties on other parties that continue to buy Iranian oil. This step is seen as an effort to increase pressure ahead of possible further negotiations. In fact, a few weeks earlier the US had loosened some of the enforcement of energy sanctions against Iran.
On the other hand, Iran is said to be considering a proposal that ships can pass freely on the Oman side of the Strait of Hormuz without the risk of attack. This option is part of Iran's proposal in negotiations with the US, provided there is an agreement that can prevent the conflict from breaking out again.
Analysts estimate that the US blockade will put pressure on Iran's crude oil exports. Even so, Iran is considered still able to maintain production of around 3.5 million barrels per day for several weeks by storing oil in land tanks.
Kpler data shows Iran exported 1.84 million barrels per day in March. So far in April, exports have been recorded at 1.71 million barrels per day. This figure is still above Iran's average export throughout 2025 which is at the level of 1.68 million barrels per day.
+
This is a photo released by the official website of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran (IRGC), Sepanews, on February 17, 2026, showing ships maneuvering around a tanker in a military exercise held by IRGC members and the navy in the Strait of Hormuz. (ARSIP - AFP -Arab News)