Iran War Shipping Update - April 20, 2026

During the Iran War, the Iranian regime’s Ghost Fleet has continued to operate actively — loading cargo, transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and heading east toward its primary buyer, China. The U.S. blockade may now be constraining those exports, as UANI’s shipping updates continue to track the ghost fleet’s illicit maritime movements throughout the conflict.

U.S. Blockade 

On April 7, President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran. Pakistan mediated ceasefire talks, which President Trump stated was contingent on the “complete, immediate, and safe opening” of the Strait of Hormuz, effectively ending its wartime closure. However, on April 12, after ceasefire talks with Iran ended without an agreement, President Trump announced that the U.S. would initiate a naval blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas effective April 13. U.S. Central Command posted that U.S. forces are “executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports” on April 14. By blockading vessels calling on Iranian ports, including tankers carrying Iranian oil, the administration aims to cut off the Iranian regime’s major source of revenue. The blockade, now implemented, represents a significant escalation in U.S. enforcement strategy, with implications for global energy markets, regional stability, and the future calibration of U.S. sanctions policy.

U.S. forces operating in the Arabian Sea enforced naval blockade measures against an Iran-flagged cargo vessel TOUSKA (IMO 9328900) attempting to sail toward an Iranian port on April 19. After multiple warnings from U.S. naval forces, the USS SPRUANCE directed the vessel to evacuate its engine room. Spruance then disabled TOUSKA’s propulsion by firing several rounds into the engine room of the cargo vessel. U.S. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit later boarded the non-compliant vessel, which remains in U.S. custody. 

UANI had been monitoring TOUSKA’s previous movements: the Iranian-flagged container ship departed the Chinese port of Zhuhai, also known as Gaolan—identified in a recent Washington Post article as linked to Iran’s ballistic missile program—after unknown cargo operations from March 29 to 30, listing Port Klang, Malaysia, as its destination; the OFAC-sanctioned vessel arrived at Port Klang anchorage on April 7. TOUSKA then departed Port Klang anchorage and headed toward the Gulf, where it encountered enforcement of the U.S. blockade. Reuters later reported that the TOUSKA was carrying dual-use equipment that could be used for military purposes.

On April 20, U.S. CENTCOM posted that U.S. forces have directed 27 vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port since the commencement of the blockade. 

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

On April 17, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that the Strait of Hormuz is “open” for the remaining period of the ceasefire. However, he said permitted passage remains limited to the coordinated route announced by Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation, meaning the international shipping lanes are not fully open. Traffic in the Strait started to increase, until Iran then said on April 18 that it was closing the Strait again in response to the U.S. maintaining its naval blockade. Reports from maritime security sources also indicated multiple attacks northeast of Oman on April 18, including attacks involving a tanker, a container ship, and suspicious activity near a cruise ship. 

The Strait of Hormuz therefore remains a critical flashpoint in the Iran campaign. Since the start of the conflict, 33 confirmed maritime incidents involving commercial vessels and offshore infrastructure have been reported across the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.

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.

Strait of Hormuz (SoH) transits from April 5 to April 18 (Credit: JMIC)

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 27 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 20

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 16, there were 8 Iran-flagged tankers and 9 cargo ships all observed by satellite imagery near Chabahar Port.

 Number of Iranian Loadings

Since the outbreak of the conflict, UANI has tracked at least 50 Iranian oil loadings, 26 of which originated from Kharg Island, Iran. These shipments represent approximately 60 million barrels of Iranian oil, generating an estimated revenue of over $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 44 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. 

Since the U.S. blockade, several Iranian oil laden tankers have been anchoring and loitering in the Gulf of Oman with their AIS signal on. The the LPG tanker RAINE (IMO 9223540) transited towards the U.S. blockade, where it turned around on April 19.

Tankers, laden with Iranian oil, in the Gulf of Oman between April 17 and 20 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

After loitering near Jamnagar for about a week, FELICITY (IMO 9183934) and DERYA (IMO 9569700) departed the Gulf of Kutch, India. FELICITYleft on April 18, reporting empty, and then turned of its AIS signal. Satellite imagery confirms that FELICITY is heading back empty towards the Persian Gulf, close to passing the U.S. blockade, on April 20. Meanwhile, DERYA departed southward on April 19, still reporting laden with a deep draft of 20 meters, and then turned off its AIS. DERYA’s location is yet to be confirmed in satellite imagery. 

Tankers departing Gujarat, India on April 18 (Credit: Marine Traffic & ESA Copernicus)

Iran-flagged Tankers Globally

UANI has also monitored Iran-flagged tankers operating beyond the Persian Gulf. Since the conflict began, at least 26 Iran-flagged tankers have reached Southeast Asian waters bound for the Eastern Outer Port Limits (EOPL) anchorage off Johor, Malaysia.

Meanwhile, at least 31 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.  The Iran-flagged tanker SOBAR (IMO 9221970) departed the EOPL on April 19 and sailed westbound through the Singapore Strait into the Malacca Strait, returning to Iran.

Iran-Oil Laden Tankers off the Malaysian Coast

Since the start of the conflict, UANI has recorded 106 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 20, 34 tankers listed on UANI's Ghost Armada were anchored or loitering in the EOPL area with their AIS signals active. Yesterday, at least 4 STS transfers of Iranian crude took place in this anchorage. 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

The Iran-flagged bulk cargo ships WARTA (IMO 9465849) and MAHNAM (IMO 9213387) both exited the Malacca Strait and sailed westbound in the Bay of Bengal toward Sri Lanka, on April 20, en route back to Iran.

Three Iran-flagged cargo ships, MIAMI PRIDE (IMO 9274941), BATIS (IMO 9465760) and SHABDIS (IMO 9349588) all entered the Malacca Strait and are sailing toward the Singapore Strait for various destinations. The bulk cargo ship MIAMI PRIDE is sailing to Kuantan, Malaysia laden with unknown cargo. The container ships SHABDIS, similar to TOUSKA, is broadcasting Zhuhai, China, as its destination on AIS, while the destination for the laden bulk cargo ship BATIS is unknown.

Iran flagged cargo ships in the Malacca Strait on April 20 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iran-flagged container ship ARTENOS (IMO 9283021) remained anchored in the Gulf of Kutch, after unknown cargo operations at Kandala Port. Like all Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) containers ships, ARTENOS is sanctioned by U.S. OFAC.

Iran flagged container ship anchored in the Gulf of Kutch, India on April 20 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The OFAC-sanctioned container ship ARTABAZ (IMO 9283007) moved from the anchorage into the terminal in Mumbai on April 18 and departed on the same day after unknown cargo operations. It appeared to head back toward Iran, but at approximately the same time that the TOUSKA was seized by US naval forces, ARTABAZ suddenly stopped and began drifting in the Arabian Sea. 

Iran flagged container ships by the Indian coastline on April 20 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iran-flagged general cargo ship AREZOO (IMO 9165786), another OFAC-sanctioned IRISL vessel, completed cargo operations at the container terminal at Port Klang, Malaysia, and shifted back to the anchorage area on April 18, where it remains through today, 20 April.

Iran flagged cargo ship arriving in Port Klang, Malaysia on April 20 (Credit: Marine Traffic & ESA Copernicus)

The Iran-flagged, OFAC-sanctioned bulk carrier BAHJAT (IMO 9405954) arrived in port Kuantan, Malaysia on April 19, and discharged unknown cargo on April 20. BAHJAT is berthed next to two other bulk cargo ships that each arrived at nearly the same time from Vostochny, and Nakhodka, Russia, near Vladivostok.

Iran-flagged bulk cargo ship in Kuantan, Malaysia on April 20 (Credit: Marine Traffic & ESA Copernicus)

The Iran-flagged, OFAC-sanctioned bulk carrier BASKAR (IMO 9405942), laden with an unknown cargo, transited the Singapore Strait eastbound on April 20, to an unknown destination. BASKAR had previously departed Bandar Abbas on April 3.

Iran-flagged bulk cargo ship in the Singapore Strait on April 20 (Credit: Marine Traffic)