Iran Shipping Update – November 6, 2026

The maritime security environment across the region remains highly volatile. Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt maritime traffic, while Iran-backed Houthi threats and attacks around the Bab el-Mandeb pose a renewed risk to shipping through the Red Sea. Meanwhile, the U.S. maritime blockade on Iranian ports continues to severely constrain the regime’s oil exports.

For UANI’s recommendations for U.S. sanctions on Iran following “Economic D-Day,” read here.

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

Since the start of the Iran War, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has confirmed 129 maritime incidents involving commercial vessels across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. According to the IMO, these incidents have resulted in 24 seafarer deaths.  UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has recorded more attacks that have yet to be verified by the IMO.

In the past months, an increasing number of vessels have transited the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz bidirectionally without broadcasting AIS location data, with many of these movements facilitated by U.S. forces. U.S.-facilitated transits through the Strait of Hormuz averaged 31.5 vessels per day with 126 transits recorded during the opening 96-hour period of November (November 1–4). This sets the November month-to-date pace at 31.5 transits per day, and raises the cumulative campaign total to 3,215 transits at an overall average of 23.3 per day across 138 monitored days.

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers Departing the Gulf of Oman

Tankers laden with Iranian oil and petrochemicals are currently clustering in anchorages along the Iranian coastline due to the reinstatement of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports. As of October 31, U.S. forces have redirected 144 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled four that didn’t comply, and boarded two to ensure total compliance.

Since the blockade resumed, approximately 11 small tankers carrying Iranian LPG have successfully passed the blockade line. However, UANI has not tracked any tanker laden with Iranian crude oil that has successfully departed the Gulf of Oman and avoided enforcement actions by U.S. forces since July 12, before the blockade was reinstated. 

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers

UANI has identified at least 54 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 November 6 (Credit: UANI)

Number of Iranian Loadings

Since the U.S. reinstated the maritime blockade on July 14, UANI has tracked at least 56 Iranian oil and petrochemical loadings, only eight of which originated from Kharg Island, Iran. Today, satellite imagery reveals two tankers moored at Assaluyeh Port, Iran, with one continuing to load Iranian LPG. Meanwhile, another tanker is moored at the Single Buoy Mooring (SBM) offshore of Assaluyeh Port, likely to load Iranian petrochemicals.

Tankers near Assaluyeh Port, Iran on November 6 (Credit: ESA Copernicus)

Iran-Linked Tankers Globally

UANI has also monitored Iran-flagged tankers operating beyond the Persian Gulf, particularly in the waters near Malaysia. At least 17 tankers listed on UANI's Ghost Armada were anchored or loitering north of the EOPL anchorage with their AIS signals active. These tankers most likely departed the anchorage due to the purported recent enforcement actions of the Malaysian maritime authorities. Meanwhile, about 19 tankers listed on UANI’s Ghost Armada remain loitering in the EOPL anchorage, demonstrating that Ghost Fleet tankers continue to operate with impunity across Southeast Asia's sea lanes.

Ghost Armada tankers near Malaysia on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Empty Iran-Linked Tankers near Sri Lanka

Prevented from returning to Iranian home ports by the blockade, 20 empty Iran-flagged tankers in ballast are currently loitering in international waters along the Sri Lankan coastline, stationed just beyond the country's territorial waters. Between October 23 and October 26, at least six of these vessels transited south toward the Galle anchorage before returning to anchorages further north along the coast. On October 24, the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry coordinated the emergency medical evacuation of 40 Iranian seafarers from 19 commercial vessels operating in nearby international waters. The seafarers were brought ashore at Galle Harbour for medical treatment before being repatriated to Iran.

Iran-Flagged Cargo Ships Globally

Despite ongoing pressure of OFAC sanctions and new constraints of the blockade, approximately 50 Iranian-flagged cargo ships continue to operate openly across sea lanes, ports, and anchorages throughout the Indo-Pacific region, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, North Sea, and Baltic Sea.

Iran-flagged cargo vessels across the region on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iranian-flagged container ship AYSAN (IMO 9165803) transited the Tsushima Strait between Japan and Korea after visiting Vladivostok Port, Russia. This was the first Iranian cargo ship to openly visit Vladivostok since the start of the war. AYSAN is now heading back to Shanghai, with an estimated arrival on November 8.

Iran-flagged cargo ship in the Tsushima Strait on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In the Gulf of Finland, the container ship ZARDIS (IMO 9349679) remained berthed at the Port of Bronka, near Saint Petersburg, Russia, conducting cargo operations following a transit from Port Klang, Malaysia.

Iran-flagged cargo ship near St. Petersburg on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The container ship NYRA 2 (IMO 9241487) completed its transit of the Danish Straits into the Baltic Sea, heading to St Petersburg, Russia, from Mumbai, with an estimated arrival of November 10. EU Directive 2025/811 requires Mandatory Ship Reporting of key safety information, including insurance certificates due to substandard ships that pose substantial risks to maritime safety and marine ecosystems.

Iran-flagged cargo ship in the Danish Straits on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

At Benghazi, Libya, the container ship BASHT (IMO 9346536) remained in port. Its previous port visits were to Zhuhai and then Port Klang, continuing a pattern of Iranian cargo ships connecting these ports.

Near the maritime boundary of Turkish and Greek waters, the general cargo ship ALVAN (IMO 9165798) dropped anchor after drifting and loitering in the vicinity of Tenedos Island, near the entrance to the Turkish Straits, since October 23. The vessel remains likely to transit the Turkish Straits toward a Russian port, though its departure is likely delayed awaiting more favorable security conditions amid ongoing risk of drone strikes in the Black Sea.

Iran-flagged cargo ship near the Turkish Straits on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iranian-flagged container ship BEHTA (IMO 9349590) anchored in the Gulf of Suez, pending a northbound transit of the Suez Canal. BEHTA sailed from Shanghai to Suez and will likely next sail onward to a Russian port.

Iran-flagged cargo ship at the Suez Gulf on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The container ship SHIBA (IMO 9270646) continued to loiter in international waters in the vicinity of Chennai, India, after transiting from Port Klang. The commercial port operator, PSA Chennai, part of the PSA International network, lists that SHIBA will enter port on November 8, and has been assigned a ship agent. The commercial port and the ship agent are both potentially exposed to secondary sanctions for providing services to this OFAC-sanctioned vessel.

Iran-flagged cargo ship near Chennai on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

At the Malaysian EOPL, 19 Iranian-flagged cargo ships were anchored in the anchorage: 

AMINA (IMO 9305192), ANDIA (IMO 9193197), ARDAVAN (IMO 9465863), ARIES (IMO 9369722), ARTABAZ (IMO 9283007), ARTIN (IMO 9305221), ARZIN (IMO 9284142), BAHJAT (IMO 9405954), BARZIN (IMO 9820269), BEHDOKHT (IMO 9405978), DARYABAR (IMO 9369710), GANJ (IMO 9305219), GOLAFRUZ (IMO 9323833), KASHAN (IMO 9270696), PARISAN (IMO 9465851), PARNIA (IMO 9167265), RADIN (IMO 9820257), RAYEN (IMO 9820245), and VELON 1 (IMO 9122473). Most of these vessels will likely remain in the EOPL while the blockade is in force, receiving regular logistics support from Malaysian service providers, despite the risk of secondary sanctions from OFAC.

The container ship SHABDIS (IMO 9349588) transited the Singapore Strait and entered the Malacca Strait on its way from Shanghai to the Suez Canal. Its estimated arrival at Suez is on November 19, and it will likely continue to a Russian port.

Iran-flagged cargo ships in the Singapore Strait and EOPL on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The container ship NADIA (IMO 9122461) continued to sail south in the Java Sea from Port Klang to Jakarta. The vessel stopped and loitered for several hours but then continued on its journey and is estimated to arrive in Jakarta on November 7.

The container ship AREZOO (IMO 9165786) anchored near Port Klang after previously visiting Surabaya, Indonesia. It is scheduled to enter the container terminal operated by Westports Holdings and is assigned to the shipping agent Octrans. Both companies risk secondary sanctions for providing services to the OFAC-sanctioned vessel.

At Zhuhai, the container ship TAVA 4 (IMO 9292151) arrived, briefly anchored next to the other Iranian flagged cargo ship, and then entered the container terminal for cargo ops. This is the 42nd Iranian cargo ship to visit Zhuhai since the beginning of the war. Meanwhile, ABYAN (IMO 9349667), which had previously been anchored since November 2, departed after TAVA 4 anchored nearby and then entered the port. ABYAN's destination is listed as Suez, with an estimated arrival of November 25. It may stop at the Malaysian EOPL.

Iran-flagged cargo ships at Zhuhai on November 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic)