Iran War Shipping Update - MAY 8, 2026

Since the start of the Iran War on February 28, Iran’s “Ghost Fleet” continues active operations—loading cargo, transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and sailing east toward China—though the U.S. blockade may now be restricting exports. UANI tracking shows ongoing illicit maritime activity. An ongoing U.S. blockade initiated on April 13 targets vessels entering and exiting Iranian ports and those carrying sanctioned or contraband oil, but does not apply to all Iran-linked ships. U.S. forces focus primarily on large VLCC tankers rather than smaller carriers.

To read UANI’s full statement on FAQs and keys facts about the U.S. blockade, click here.

The U.S. Blockade: Timeline of Key Events to May 8

• April 7: President Trump announces 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.
• 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.
• April 13: Blockade initiated.
• April 14: U.S. Central Command posts that U.S. forces are “executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports”. 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  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.
• April 21: President Trump announces indefinite extension of the ceasefire until Iran responds to U.S. negotiating positions or until talks reach a dead end.
• April 29: President Trump he states he will maintain the naval blockade on Iran until the regime agrees to a deal addressing U.S. concerns about its nuclear program.
• May 4:  President Trump announces a new maritime operation called “Project Freedom.” The stated goal is to help escort or “guide” commercial vessels stranded in or near the Strait of Hormuz after escalating conflict and de facto Iranian restrictions on shipping traffic.
• May 5: President Trump announces a pause on Project Freedom, pending the outcome of negotiations with Iran. See the UANI statement on the announcement of Project Freedom.
• May 8:  U.S. CENTCOM posts that U.S. forces have prevented more than 70 tankers from entering or leaving Iranian ports since the commencement of the blockade. These commercial ships have the capacity to transport over 166 million barrels of Iranian oil worth an estimated $13 billion-plus.

U.S. CENTCOM update on the Blockade on May 8 (Credit: U.S. CENTCOM/ X)

Additionally on May 8, U.S. forces disabled another two tankers M/T SEA STAR III (IMO 9569205) and M/T SEVDA (IMO 9172040), prior to both vessels entering an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman in violation of the ongoing blockade. U.S. CENTCOM enforced blockade measures against the two Iranian-flagged, unladen oil tankers, preventing the non-compliant vessels from entering an Iranian port to load.

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical flashpoint in the Iran War. Since the start of the conflict, 42 confirmed maritime incidents involving commercial vessels and offshore infrastructure have been reported across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. 

On May 7, U.S. forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks, including missiles, drones, and small boats, targeting USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), and USS Mason (DDG 87) as they transited the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman, responding with self-defense strikes on Iranian military sites. According to CENTCOM, no U.S. assets were struck.

On May 8, Iran seized a stateless tanker JIN LI (IMO 9255933), formerly named OCEAN KOI, for "trying ​to harm and disrupt oil ​exports ... by exploiting regional conditions," according to Iranian state media. This tanker has transported over 6 million barrels of Iranian oil and was listed on UANI’s Ghost Armada in November 2020 and later sanctioned by OFAC this February.

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. The graph below reflects only vessels that are transiting while openly broadcasting their locations on AIS, so it may undercount actual traffic.

Strait of Hormuz (SoH) transits from April 21 to May 6 (Credit: JMIC)

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers in the Persian Gulf

UANI has identified at least 36 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 May 8

Iran-linked Vessels at Chabahar Port, Iran

Iran-linked tankers are loitering and anchoring outside of the Persian Gulf at Chabahar Port, Iran. On May 6, 12 Iran-flagged tankers, laden with Iranian oil, plus a falsely flagged tanker laden with Iranian fuel oil, were observed in satellite imagery near Chabahar Port. Numerous Iran-flagged and Iranian oil-laden tankers that have attempted to cross the blockade departed from Chabahar Port, with eight of these twelve tankers returning to port in response to a variety of U.S. enforcement actions.

Number of Iranian Loadings

Since the outbreak of the conflict, UANI has tracked at least 69 Iranian oil loadings, 41 of which originated from Kharg Island, Iran. These shipments represent approximately 82 million barrels of Iranian oil, generating an estimated revenue of over $6 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 52 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. 

The tanker INTERSTELLAR (IMO 9277797), listed on UANI’s Ghost Armada since January 2024, looks to have passed the U.S. blockade, turning on its AIS and transiting the Arabian Sea on May 8. The tanker transited the Strait of Hormuz carrying Iranian naphtha, before it stopped broadcasting its AIS on May 5. The Panamax tanker was observed loading Iranian naphtha at Assaluyeh Port in satellite imagery on April 15. INTERSTELLAR could still face U.S. enforcement action for violating the blockade. 

Iranian naphtha laden tanker transiting the Arabian Sea (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Iran-flagged Tankers Globally

UANI has also monitored Iran-flagged tankers operating beyond the Persian Gulf. Since the conflict began, at least 32 Iran-flagged tankers have reached Southeast Asian waters bound for the Eastern Outer Port Limits (EOPL) anchorage off Johor, Malaysia.

Iran flagged tanker HUGE (IMO 9357183), laden with Iranian crude, transited towards the EOPL on May 6. HUGE had transited the Lombok Strait in Indonesia on May 3 with its AIS signal on. The tanker had previously loaded at Kharg Island on March 31, and departed from Chabahar on April 14, and was spotted near Galle, Sri Lanka on April 23. 

Iranian flagged tanker transiting Southeast Asian sea lanes on May 6 (Credit: Marine Traffic & ESA Copernicus)

On May 4, a second Iranian-flagged tanker, DERYA (9569700), also transited this sensitive strait. DERYA had previously appeared in the Gulf of Kutch, attempting to deliver Iranian oil at Sikka, India but departed on April 19. Both ships briefly broadcast on AIS while transiting the Lombok Strait and were also observed in satellite imagery. This marks a significant new operational pattern. These tankers likely departed Iran, laden with oil bound for China, after the imposition of the US blockade, and likely took an uneconomical route through the Indian Ocean and the Lombok Strait in order to avoid interdiction by US forces. It remains to be seen if DERYA also proceeds to the Malaysian EOPL for STS, or if it sails directly to China to deliver their cargo.

Meanwhile, at least 34 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.

Iran-Oil Laden Tankers off the Malaysian Coast

From February 28, the start of the conflict, to today, UANI has recorded 130 tankers laden with Iranian oil 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 May 8, 28 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

On May 7, five Iranian flagged cargo vessels continued to anchor southwest of Karachi, Pakistan. ARIES (IMO 9369722), MAHNAM (IMO 9213387), DELRUBA (IMO 9305207), WARTA (IMO 9465849), and PARNIA (IMO 9167265) were openly broadcasting on AIS, while anchored. All five of these Iran flagged cargo vessels are OFAC sanctioned.

Iran flagged cargo vessels near Karachi, Pakistan on May 8 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iran flagged container ship ARTABAZ (IMO 9283007) is drifting again in the Arabian Sea, approximately 300km offshore of the Indian Coast, near the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) boundary of Indian and Pakistan. ARTABAZ departed Mumbai on April 19, after unknown cargo operations. It is possible that the ARTABAZ is loitering in the area conducting maritime surveillance because this is abnormal behavior for a container ship transporting routine cargo.

Iran flagged container ship drifting in Arabian Sea on May 8 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iran-flagged bulk cargo ship ARVIN (IMO 9193202) and cargo ship MIAMI PRIDE (IMO 9274941), both remained at anchor in the Malaysian Eastern Out of Port Limits (EOPL) anchorage area. ARVIN, currently laden according to its AIS broadcast, departed Dafeng, China on April 26, after unknown cargo operations. MIAMI PRIDE departed Kuantan Port on May 4, after unknown cargo operations. 

Iran flagged bulk cargo ship at Malaysian EOPL, on May 8 (Credit: Marine Traffic & ESA Copernicus)

The Iran-flagged, OFAC-sanctioned bulk cargo ship BASKAR (IMO 9405942) is transiting the South China Sea on May 8. BASKAR had been loitering 190km north of the Indonesian island Air Payang since May 5, for unknown reasons, and had earlier departed Yangjiang Port in southern China on April 30.

Iran flagged bulk cargo ship drifting in the South China Sea, on May 8 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iran-flagged, OFAC-sanctioned bulk cargo ship BATIS (IMO 9465760) remained in vicinity of port Dafeng, China, conducting unknown cargo operations. Meanwhile, another Iran-flagged bulk cargo ship OURA (IMO 9387815) departed on May 7 after completing cargo operations and headed southbound with its destination unknown. It arrived in Dafeng terminal on May 4, after departing Bandar Abbas, laden with unknown cargo, on April 9. Meanwhile, BATIS arrived at the anchorage near Dafeng on May 4 from Bandar Abbas on April 3. Both ships appeared to pause near Galle, Sri Lanka for brief logistics support: BATIS on April 13, and OURA on April 17. OURA, which departed Iran after BATIS, overtook BATIS north of Taiwan in the East China Sea on May 1. 

Iran flagged container ships near Dafeng, China, on May 8 (Credit: Marine Traffic)