Iran Shipping Update – July 16, 2026

The United States reinstated its naval blockade of Iranian ports on July 14, marking a likely end to the brief détente established under the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding signed June 17. The move follows Iran's attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz starting July 7, which reignited tensions across the Persian Gulf, ultimately collapsing the agreement's key confidence-building measures. The United States has since conducted a series of strikes against Iranian military and IRGC maritime assets.

To read UANI's June Tanker Tracker click here.

U.S. Blockade 

On July 13, President Trump declared that the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports has been reinstated. Starting on July 14 at 4 p.m. ET, U.S. forces will impose the blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas while supporting compliant traffic in regional waters. The measure follows the initial blockade from April 13 to June 18, which redirected more than 140 compliant vessels, disabled nine non-compliant ships, and allowed over 50 humanitarian-support vessels to pass.

In addition to enforcing the blockade on Iranian ports, all Iranian vessels and vessels suspected of carrying contraband, are subject to belligerent right to visit and search. These vessels, regardless of location, are subject to visit, board, search, and seizure. Contraband items are subject to capture at any place beyond neutral territory, if their destination is the territory belonging to, or occupied by, Iran. Contraband is defined as goods that are destined for an enemy and that may be susceptible to use in armed conflict.

During the first 24 hours of the enforcement of the U.S. blockade, U.S. CENTCOM redirected two compliant commercial vessels and disabled one non-compliant vessel. U.S. forces disabled a non-compliant unladen oil tanker, BELMA (IMO 9289491), attempting to sail toward Kharg Island, Iran. BELMA has transported over 38 million barrels of Iranian crude in its lifetime and has been listed on UANI’s Ghost Armada since March 2023 for its role in Iran’s oil trade.

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

Since the start of the Iran War, the International Maritime organization (IMO) has reported 56 maritime incidents involving commercial vessels have been reported across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.

Prior to the outbreak of the Iran War, about 138 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz daily. Throughout the conflict, marine traffic data showed large clusters of loitering vessels on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, with many ships refraining from transiting due to safety concerns. Since the signing of the MoU, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) has reported an increase in open transits through the Strait of Hormuz. On June 24, JMIC recorded 54 transits, the highest daily total since the outbreak of the conflict. As of July 15, JMIC has reported a total of 670 vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz since the date of the signing of the MoU.

Vessel transits of the Strait of Hormuz (Data Credit: JMIC)

Open transits of commercial vessels through the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz declined following the IRGC strikes on commercial shipping starting July 7 but have not ceased entirely. Since the strikes, the traffic has been dominated by Iranian- and Chinese-linked vessels transiting via the northern corridor. 

Strait of Hormuz corridors on July 16 (Credit: ESA Copernicus)

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers Departing the Gulf of Oman

Since the announcement of the MoU on June 14, UANI has tracked 66 tankers departing the Gulf of Oman laden with Iranian oil and petrochemicals. These exports represent approximately 80 million barrels of Iranian oil, generating an estimated revenue of over $6 billion for the IRGC, which continues to fund Iran’s missile and drone programs. These figures are estimates. The pricing and volumes associated with Chinese purchases of Iranian crude are not publicly disclosed, though such cargoes are widely assessed to be sold at a discount of around 10 to 12 dollars per barrel.

In the past 24 hours, at least three tankers carrying Iranian crude and LPG have departed the Gulf of Oman. These tankers are still at risk of enforcement actions by U.S. forces. 

Laden tankers departing the Gulf of Oman on July 15 and 16 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

On July 16, three tankers listed on UANI’s Ghost Armada were in the vicinity of Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China. EXFLAME (IMO 9294678) has pulled into Quanzhou Port to discharge its 500 thousand barrels of Iranian naphtha. Meanwhile, SEA ACE (IMO 9257711) and INTERSTELLAR (IMO 9277797) are anchored outside the port, both reporting laden.

Three Ghost Armada tankers near Quanzhou, China on July 16 (Credit: Marine Traffic & ESA Copernicus)

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers

UANI has identified at least 35 tankers laden with Iranian oil — primarily crude, but also other petroleum products and LPG — currently operating along the Iranian coastline.   

Positions of tankers laden with Iranian oil on July 16 (Credit: UANI)

Number of Iranian Loadings

Since the signing of the U.S.-Iran MoU on June 17, UANI has tracked at least 26 Iranian oil and petrochemical loadings, 11 of which originated from Kharg Island, Iran. 

Iran-flagged Tankers Globally

UANI has also monitored Iran-flagged tankers operating beyond the Persian Gulf. Since the signing of the MoU, 18 Iran-flagged tankers have reached the Singapore Strait bound for the EOPL anchorage off Johor, Malaysia.

There are currently 14 Iran-flagged tankers already in the EOPL: HAPPINESS I (IMO 9212905), STREAM (IMO 9569633), HERBY (IMO 9362059), DIAMOND II (IMO 9218478), FELICITY (IMO 9183934), DINO 1 (IMO 9569671), HEDY (IMO 9212888), DORE (IMO 9357717), SEVIN (IMO 9357353), SILVIA I (IMO 9172052), DORENA (IMO 9569669), SNOW (IMO 9569619) HERO II (IMO 9362073) and SONIA I (IMO 9357365), which have all previously passed the Singapore Strait and have since stopped broadcasting their location on AIS. Seven of these tankers have since been spotted in satellite imagery, confirming their location. All these Iranian tankers are expected to conduct STS transfers in the EOPL, with four already observed in satellite imagery. 

Meanwhile, Iran-flagged tankers HENNA (IMO 9212929), AMBER (IMO 9357406), STARLA (IMO 9569621) and DIONA (IMO 9569695) have departed the EOPL, reporting ballast condition on AIS after completing ship-to-Ship (STS) transfers in the anchorage, and are now most likely returning to Iran. They are the first four Iran-flagged tankers that have departed the EOPL reporting empty since the signing of the MoU.

Iran-flagged tanker transiting the Singapore Strait empty on July 16 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

On July 16, at least 51 tankers listed on UANI's Ghost Armada were anchored or loitering near the EOPL area with their AIS signals active, demonstrating that ghost fleet tankers continue to operate with impunity across Southeast Asia's sea lanes. 

Iran-Flagged Cargo Ships Globally

Despite ongoing pressure of U.S. OFAC sanctions, approximately 50 Iranian flagged cargo ships continue to operate openly across sea lanes, ports, and anchorages throughout the Indo-Pacific region, the Red Sea and the eastern Mediterranean.

Iran-flagged vessels across the Indo-Pacific on July 16 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Twenty-five cargo ships are headed to or already at Chinese ports.

The bulk cargo ship OURA (IMO 9387815) is anchored near Chabahar, Iran, and did not cross the blockade line. The container ship ARTAM (IMO 9284154) left the Pakistani EEZ and is now anchored in international waters just outside the Gulf of Kutch, while the bulk carrier ARTMAN (IMO 9405930) is anchored in Indian waters in the Gulf of Kutch. The container ship VELON 1 (IMO 9122473) departed the Port of Kandla and is sailing south towards Mumbai, India. The container ship FLEXI 2 (IMO 9246322), which departed Novorossiysk, Russia, and then visited Misrata, Libya, is sailing east across the Arabian Sea to its next port in Mumbai, India.

The container ship ENZO 2 (IMO 9236652) is returning to Iran from Port Klang, Malaysia and is a possible candidate for interdiction by U.S. naval forces if it attempts to breach the blockade. The container ship is currently sailing north off the western coast of southern India. Prior to visiting Port Klang, ENZO 2 had also visited Misrata, Libya and Branka, Russia, near St. Petersburg in the Baltic Sea. This is a similar pattern as the container ship TOUSKA (IMO 9328900) which was disabled and interdicted during the first U.S. blockade.

Four cargo ships are sailing west in the Bay of Bengal to ports in China and Malaysa, while another three cargo ships are currently in sailing the Malacca Strait southbound to ports in China. 

Three container ships are at Port Klang, Malaysia. DAISY (IMO 9270684) and SHIBA (IMO 9270646) continue to remain at anchor. Meanwhile, SHAMIM (IMO 9270658) is still in Port Klang’s Westport Container Terminal. Two ships are enroute to Port Klang: the ZYRA (IMO 9237084) with estimated arrival of July 18, and the ARTABAZ (IMO 9283007) with an estimated arrival of July 19. AREZOO (IMO 9165786) departed Port Klang today and transited the Singapore Strait eastbound, and is sailing to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, with an estimated arrival on July 18, but it might also stop in the EOPL, where container ships BASHT (IMO 9346536) and PARNIA (IMO 9167265) are both now anchored, as well. 

The bulk carrier BEHDOKHT (IMO 9405978) remained in Songkhla, Thailand. Ironically, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard concluded an exercise in Songkhla with the Royal Thai Navy today.

The bulk cargo ship ANDIA (IMO 9193197) which is headed to Zhoushan Port, near Ningbo China, is taking an unusual route along the western coast of the Philippines. ANDIA is reporting that it has “Restricted Maneuverability” and is approaching the vicinity of Mindoro Island, Philippines.

Five other Iranian cargo vessels are sailing the South China Sea northbound to various ports in China.

The container ship ABYAN (IMO 9349667) remained anchored off Zhuhai, China and was joined by the ABYAN (IMO 9349667) which arrived at the anchorage today from Iran.  At least four other cargo ships are also enroute to Zhuhai.

The bulk cargo ship GANJ (IMO 9305219) was spotted in satellite imagery anchored in the vicinity of Ningde, China.

Iran-flagged vessel at Ningde on July 16 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Four containerships are currently anchored at CJK anchorage off Shanghai, China: BARZIN (IMO 9820269), ZARDIS (IMO 9349679), RAYEN (IMO 9820245), RAMA 3 (IMO 9303754). HAMOUNA (IMO 9820271) likely entered the port for cargo operations.

In the Mediterranean Sea, the general cargo ship AYSAN (IMO 9165803) remains in port at Misrata, Libya, while the general cargo ship ALVAN (IMO 9165798) is en route to Misrata, with an estimated arrival of July 18. Libya remains under certain UN sanctions, and an arms embargo, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2819 (2026).

The container ship VIRA 1 (IMO 9088524) is sailing east to Port Said, from its previous port call at Baltiysk, Russia.

The container ship NYRA 2 (IMO 9241487) which was sailing in the Aegean Sea to Canakkale, Türkiye, and is likely to then sail to a Russian port in the Black Sea.

The container ship BEHTA (IMO 9349590) is approaching the Gibraltar Strait, on the way to its destination of Bronka Port in the Russian Baltic.