Iran War Shipping Update - April 13, 2026

Since the onset of Operation Epic Fury, UANI has monitored a significant volume of Iranian oil at sea. Illicit Iranian oil sales are a major source of funding for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is currently conducting military and terrorist operations targeting the U.S., Israel, Arab states in the Persian Gulf, and international shipping. In the weeks leading up to the conflict, Tehran sharply increased crude loadings and offshore stockpiling to cushion the impact of war on its oil trade. Amid ongoing hostilities, the Iranian regime’s Ghost Fleet continues to operate actively — loading cargo, transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and heading east toward its primary buyer, China. UANI’s regular shipping update will continue to monitor and report on the illicit maritime movements of the Iranian regime’s ghost fleet throughout the conflict.

To read UANI’s advisory urging oil purchasing countries to ensure strict domestic ringfencing of money used in purchase of Iranian oil, click here.

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

On April 7, President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran. Pakistan mediated the ceasefire following Tehran’s 10-point peace proposal which is subject to the “complete, immediate, and safe opening” of the Strait of Hormuz, effectively ending its wartime closure. Reports suggest, however, that Iran is already blocking vessels attempting to transit the Strait, with Iranian regime media blaming Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

However, after ceasefire talks with Iran ended without an agreement, President Trump announced that the U.S. will initiate a naval blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas effective April 13. By blockading vessels calling on Iranian ports, including tankers carrying Iranian oil, the administration aims to cut off one of the Iranian regime’s major sources of funding. The blockade would represent a significant shift in U.S. enforcement strategy, with potential implications for global energy markets, regional stability, and the future calibration of American sanctions policy.

US Central Command published a notice about the blockade on April 13 (Source: CENTCOM on X)

The Strait of Hormuz therefore remains a critical flashpoint in the Iran war. Since the start of the conflict, there have been at least 25 commercial vessels hit, plus four near misses.

The escalating risk has created severe congestion and instability across the Persian Gulf’s shipping lanes. Prior to the outbreak of hostilities, about 138 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz daily.  Since March 1, 2026, marine traffic data shows growing clusters of loitering vessels on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, with many refraining from transiting due to safety concerns. By April 12, just four vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC).

On April 8, an unconfirmed map issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) outlined a proposed Hormuz traffic separation scheme requiring vessels to coordinate with the IRGC Navy. The latest purported guidance from Iran also warns of anti-ship mines in the main traffic lane, while the IRGC continues to vet traffic based on geopolitical affiliation.

Iran’s formal notice of the Strait of Hormuz transit routes published on April 8 (Source: Iran’s National Security Commission)

OFAC-sanctioned and UANI-listed tankers — alongside some non-sanctioned, ostensibly legitimate vessels — have transited the Strait of Hormuz intermittently switching off their AIS signals. Many have passed the waterway between Larak and Qeshm islands before continuing through the strait, while a handful of others sailed via Omani waters along Oman’s coastline, creating two parallel transit patterns as shipping adapted to the evolving security environment. So far, there have been no openly transiting vessels through international shipping lanes since the conflict began, raising real questions of when usual patterns will resume as the fragile ceasefire holds.

Numerous vessels that have a history of transporting non-Iranian cargoes from the Persian Gulf are now diverting due to heightened security risks and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz from the Iran war, causing many to seek alternative cargoes in U.S. ports, such as Galveston.

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers in the Persian Gulf 

UANI has identified at least 34 tankers laden with Iranian oil — primarily crude — currently operating inside the Persian Gulf, west of the Strait of Hormuz.

Map of Iranian oil laden tankers in the Persian Gulf on April 13

Iran-linked Vessels at Chabahar Port, Iran

Iran-linked tankers and cargo vessels are loitering and anchoring outside of the Persian Gulf at Chabahar Port, Iran. On April 11, there were at least 12 Iran-flagged tankers and 10 cargo ships all observed by satellite imagery near Chabahar Port laden with Iranian crude.

Number of Iranian Loadings

Since the outbreak of the conflict, UANI has tracked at least 45 Iranian oil loadings, 26 of which originated from Kharg Island, Iran. These shipments represent approximately 55 million barrels of Iranian oil, generating an estimated revenue of over $4.5 billion for the IRGC, which continues to fund Iran’s active missile and drone programs central to the conflict. This figure is notably higher than usual given the sharp increase in oil prices, including Iranian crude.

Iran-oil Laden Tankers That Have Left the Persian Gulf

Since the start of the conflict, UANI has observed at least 37 ghost fleet tankers laden with Iranian oil that have left the Persian Gulf — some broadcasting their AIS signals and others operating clandestinely. These tankers are enroute to Malaysia to conduct ship-to-ship (STS) transfers with other ghost fleet vessels bound for China.

Iran flagged tanker at anchor near Gujarat, India, on April 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iran-flagged tanker FELICITY (IMO 9183934) arrived in Jamnagar, India on April 13, openly broadcasting AIS, to deliver Iranian crude to Reliance’s Jamnagar Refinery, one of the world’s largest. It is highly likely that this delivery is using the General License U, the sanctions waiver issued by US OFAC.

Iran-flagged Tankers Globally

UANI has also monitored Iranian-flagged tankers operating beyond the Persian Gulf. Since the conflict began, at least 23 Iranian-flagged tankers have reached Southeast Asian waters bound for the Eastern Outer Port Limits (EOPL) anchorage off Johor, Malaysia. The Iranian-flagged tanker DAN (IMO 9357729) transited the Six Degree Channel between Aceh, Indonesia and the Nicobar Islands of India, entering the northern part of the Malacca Strait

Meanwhile, at least 29 Iran-flagged tankers have begun returning and reporting empty to Iran from the Malaysian EOPL anchorage and Southeast Asian sea lanes, since the start of the conflict. On April 13, STREAM (IMO 9569633) departed the EOPL reporting empty and transited the Singapore Strait westbound.

Iran-Oil Laden Tankers off the Malaysian Coast

Since the start of the conflict, UANI has recorded 103 Iranian oil laden tankers in the EOPL anchorage, a ghost fleet hotspot approximately 70 km off Malaysia’s coast. All of these tankers have been spotted in satellite imagery.

On April 13, 32 tankers listed on UANI's Ghost Armada were anchored or loitering in the EOPL area with their AIS signals active. Despite the ongoing conflict, it is business as usual for the Iranian oil trade to China, where ghost fleet tankers continue to operate with impunity across Southeast Asia's sea lanes. 

Iran-Flagged Cargo Ships Globally

Two Iran flagged OFAC-sanctioned container ships BEHNAVAZ (IMO 9346548) and BETHA (IMO 9349590) arrived in the anchorage outside Zuhai, China. Zuhai Port in China’s Gaolan Island, not far from Macau, has been identified in press reports, as linked to supplies of sodium perchlorate, a critical precursor for solid rocket fuel used in ballistic missiles. The port has had nine visits by seven OFAC sanctioned Iranian-flagged container ships since the start of the war.

Two Iran flagged container ships at anchor near Zuhai, China, on April 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iran-flagged bulk cargo ship WARTA (IMO 9465849), laden with an unknown cargo, departed the anchorage near Sri Racha, Thailand on April 12. It had arrived on March 28, for unknown cargo ops.  According to its AIS signal, its destination is Bandar Imam Khomeini (BIK), Iran, with an estimated arrival time of May 3. 

Iran flagged bulk carrier transiting the Gulf of Thailand, April 12-13 (Credit: Marine Traffic and ESA Copernicus)

The Iran-flagged container ship ARTENOS (IMO 9283021), laden with an unknown cargo, arrived at Mumbai, Indian on April 13. The vessel departed Bandar Abbas, Iran on April 6 and sailed openly, with its AIS signal on, across the Arabian Sea. Like all Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) containers ships, ARTENOSis sanctioned by US OFAC.

Iran flagged container ship arriving at Mumbai, India, April 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic and ESA Copernicus)