Iran Shipping Update – June 18, 2026

Since the outbreak of the Iran War on February 28, Iran’s “Ghost Fleet” has continued operating across key maritime routes and continued to load oil. The U.S. blockade initiated on April 13 caused Iran oil exports to drop dramatically, with UANI observing zero crude shipments passing the blockade during the month of May. Following a U.S.-Iran MoU signed by President Trump on June 17, the U.S. has lifted its maritime blockade.

To read UANI’s May 2026 Tanker Tracker, click here.

On June 14, President Trump announced that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed on Friday, June 19, and that the Strait of Hormuz would be then opened and the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports would be lifted. Negotiations, including on issues such as Iran’s nuclear program, and the status of the Strait of Hormuz, will reportedly take place over the 60 days following the official signing ceremony. On June 17, the U.S. and Iran electronically signed the MoU, with the full text released ahead of the formal signing ceremony on Friday.

Now signed, according to Paragraph 5, the MoU gives 60 days of charge-free commercial transit between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, with traffic to resume immediately and demining within 30 days. Iran also committed to consult Oman and other Gulf states on the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz. It remains to be seen how this will be implemented. 

To read UANI’s Statement on the MoU, click here.

On June 18, CENTCOM posted that the U.S. forces had lifted the blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports. 

U.S. CENTCOM update on lifting of the U.S. blockade (Credit: CENTCOM/X)

Since the announcement of the MoU, Iranian-linked tankers and cargo ships have become noticeably more active globally. Many vessels that had previously been stationary, loitering, or operating with limited AIS transmissions have resumed more routine navigation patterns and, notably, are often transmitting AIS openly. Notably, four Iranian-flagged tankers laden with Iranian crude and previously anchored at Chabahar Port have departed the Gulf of Oman since June 16.

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical maritime flashpoint. Since the start of the Iran War, 50 confirmed maritime incidents involving commercial vessels and offshore infrastructure have been reported across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.

Despite the signing of the MoU, the enduring risk and severe congestion and instability across the Persian Gulf’s shipping lanes persists. Prior to the outbreak of the Iran War, 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. As of the date of the signing of the MoU, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) reported 613 vessels transited through the Strait of Hormuz, during the period from March 1 to June 17. 

Cargo Ship and Tanker transits of the Strait of Hormuz (Data credit: JMIC)

In response to announcement of the MoU, the International Maritime Organization Secretary General commented on June 15: “[The MoU] signals a crucial return to peace, dialogue, multilateralism and diplomacy, and in particular, an important step toward restoring safety in this vital maritime corridor for seafarers and ships, as well as safeguarding the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation.”

On June 16, the U.S. 5th Fleet’s Naval Coordination and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) detachment published a FAQ for the “Strait of Hormuz Facilitated Transits”.  The four-page document contained guidance for the shipping industry for use of the southern route through the strait. 

JMIC update on the US Blockade of Iran (Credit: US 5th Fleet NCAGS)

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers Inside the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman

UANI has identified at least 75 tankers laden with Iranian oil — primarily crude, but also other petroleum products and LPG — currently operating inside the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Map of Iranian oil laden tankers on June 17

Iran-linked Vessels at Kharg Island, Iran

Satellite imagery from June 17 indicates an accumulation of tankers at the Kharg Island anchorage, idle offshore. 24 tankers were spotted in the anchorage area, at least 16 of which are laden with Iranian oil and petrochemicals. Laden tankers are highlighted in red and unladen tankers in white on the map below. 

Tankers near Kharg Island, Iran on June 17 (Credit: ESA Copernicus)

Number of Iranian Loadings

Since the outbreak of the conflict, UANI has tracked at least 97 Iranian oil loadings, 49 of which originated from Kharg Island, Iran. These shipments represent approximately 91 million barrels of Iranian oil, generating an estimated revenue of over $7 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-linked Vessels at Chabahar Port, Iran

Iran-linked vessels are loitering and anchoring outside of the Persian Gulf at Chabahar Port, Iran. On June 15, 11 tankers, including 8 Iran-flagged tankers and three dark fleet vessels, all laden with Iranian oil indicated by the red squares on the image below, as well as 14 cargo vessels, the majority of which are Iran-flagged, were observed in satellite imagery near Chabahar Port. Three Iran-flagged laden tankers previously anchored near Chabahar Port have left the anchorage between June 10 and 15, possibly in an attempt to transit out of the Gulf of Oman.

Iranian oil laden tankers at Chabahar Port, Iran on June 15 (Credit: ESA Copernicus)

Four Iran-flagged laden tankers, DIONA (IMO 9569695), HERO II (IMO 9362073), SONIA I (IMO 9357365) and DORENA (IMO 9569669), have departed Chabahar and have reappeared on AIS transiting out of the Gulf of Oman. DIONA has since stopped broadcasting its location on AIS.

Iranian oil laden tankers transiting out of the Gulf of Oman on June 18 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Iran-linked Tankers at Jask Port, Iran

On June 15, five tankers were observed in the anchorage, three of them laden with Iranian crude. The red squares indicate laden tankers. Movements of Iran-flagged tankers have begun, with four laden tankers departing the anchorage near Jask since June 15, likely heading out of the Gulf of Oman.

Iran linked tankers anchored near Jask, Iran on June 18 (ESA: Copernicus)

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. 

Meanwhile, at least 41 Iran-flagged tankers, reporting empty, have begun attempts to return to Iran and 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 70 STS transfers of Iranian crude oil and 6 STS transfers of LPG in the EOPL anchorage, a ghost fleet hotspot approximately 70 km off Malaysia’s coast. All of these transshipments have been spotted in satellite imagery.

On June 18, 46 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 45 Iranian flagged vessels continue to operate openly across sea lanes, ports, and anchorages throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Enhanced pressure from the enforcement of the U.S. blockade on Iran and disrupted access to Iranian ports had caused many Iranian-flagged ships to anchor and wait in clusters at anchorages across the region. But since the announcement of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the lifting of the blockade, nearly all the Iranian ships outside of the Persian Guld have begun sailing back to Iran. Several vessels have also departed Iranian ports for Asia.

Iran-flagged vessels across the Indo-Pacific on June 18 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Iran-flagged vessels continue to depart and transit towards the Persian Gulf. The first vessel to pass the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf was STREAM (IMO 9569633) after departing the anchorage outside Karahi, Pakistan on June 15. Meanwhile, HERBY (IMO 9362059) briefly stopped at Chabahar and then continued toward the Strait of Hormuz. The cargo ships ARIES (IMO 9369722) and ARTENOS (IMO 9283021) entered Iranian waters in the Gulf of Oman, followed by DELRUBA (IMO 9305207) and WARTA (IMO 9465849) which are approaching the maritime boundary between Pakistan and Iran. 

Meanwhile four other Iranian flagged vessels remained anchored offshore of Karachi, Pakistan. The cargo ship MAHNAM (IMO 9213387) remained anchored about 60km offshore in the Pakistani Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The tankers SOBAR (IMO 9221970) and SARAK (IMO 9226968) also remain anchored nearby. The container ship TOUSKA (IMO 9328900) remained anchored just 16 km outside Karachi port, inside Pakistani territorial waters. 

Iran-flagged ships departing Karachi, Pakistan on June 18 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iranian-flagged cargo ships GANJ (IMO 9305219), SHAMIN (IMO 9270658) and ZARDIS (IMO 9349679) departed from Chabahar anchorage and exited Iranian waters into the Gulf of Oman. SHAMIN’s destination is listed as Colombo, Sri Lanka; ZARDIS is enroute to Zhuhai, China; and GANJ is reporting an unspecified destination in China. These vessels are the first cargo ships to depart Iranian waters after the lifting of the U.S. blockade. 

Iran-flagged cargo ships departed from Chabat, on June 18 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iranian container ship ENZO 2 (IMO 9236652) remained anchored in the Gulf of Kutch, while VELON 1 (IMO 9122473) pulled into port at the Kandla container terminal for cargo operations. Both ships are OFAC sanctioned. 

Iran-flagged container ships in the Gulf of Kutch on June 18 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The container ship NYRA 2 (IMO 9241487) continued sailing the Arabian Sea northbound along the west coast of India, toward its destination, Kandla, with an estimated arrival of June 19.

The Iran-flagged container ship ARTABAZ (IMO 9283007) departed its anchorage in the Maldives and sailed north into the Laccadive Sea. Its destination is unknown.

Meanwhile, the Iran-flagged general cargo ship PARNIA (IMO 9167265) continued to anchor about 25 km offshore of Galle, Sri Lanka, in the vicinity of the Iranian-flagged tanker DOWNY (IMO 9218480). The status of the other tankers previously anchored offshore Galle is unknown. The tankers HALTI (9212890), HAWK (9362061) and HELM (9357391) will likely begin to sail back to Iran.

The Iranian-flagged general cargo ship JAIRAN (IMO 9167291) departed Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where it had been anchored since the beginning of the U.S. blockade. Another general cargo ship, NEGAR (IMO 9165839) remains anchored in Dar es Salaam. 

The Iranian-flagged container ship RAMA 3 (IMO 9303754) passed the Bab el Mandab Strait and entered the Gulf of Aden. Its destination is listed as Port Klang, Malaysia, with and estimated arrival of June 29. RAMA 3 previously departed a Russian Baltic port near St Petersburg on approximately May 26, although it had not been broadcasting AIS while in Russian waters.

The Iran-flagged general cargo ship AREZOO (IMO 9165786) has not been active on AIS for two days but has likely remained anchored in the vicinity of Chittagong, Bangladesh.

The Iran-flagged cargo ship AZARGOUN (IMO 9283019) sailed east of Sri Lanka into the Bay of Bengal, and changed its destination form Colombo to Zhuhai, China, with an estimated arrival of June 24.

The cargo ships KIAZAND (IMO 9465758), MIAMI PRIDE (IMO 9274941), ALOR 2 (IMO 9228538), RADIN (IMO 9820257) and OURA (IMO 9387815) all exited the Malacca Strait via the Six Degree Channel and entered the Bay of Bengal. The bulk cargo ship ROSHAK (IMO 9405966), remained at Phuket port.  

Iran-flagged cargo ships exiting the Malacca Strait on June 18 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The tankers that recently departed the Malaysian EOPL, DAN (9357729) and SINOPA (9172038), along with the tankers previously spotted loitering near Penang, DERYA (9569700), DUNE (9569712), HUMANITY (9180281), SALINA (9357377) and SERENA (9569645), have all gone dark on AIS, but are likely transiting back to Iran, as well.

Two of the three Iran-flagged cargo ships anchored in the Malaysian EOPL, ARVIN (IMO 9193202) and BASKAR (IMO 9405942), departed today, transiting the Singapore Strait into the Malacca Strait. Both ships are reporting Bandar Abbas, as their destination, and will likely arrive in early July. The bulk cargo ship ANDIA (IMO 9193197) is the last remaining cargo ship anchored in the EOPL.

Iran-flagged cargo ships in the Malacca Strait and Malaysian EOPL on June 18 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iran-flagged, OFAC sanctioned container ships SHABGOUN (IMO 9346524), BEHNAVAZ (IMO 9346548) and BEHTA (IMO 9349590), as well as the tanker TOUR 2 (IMO 9364112), also known as KARIZ, continued to sail south in the South China Sea toward the Singapore Strait.  All ships were broadcasting on AIS. The BEHTA and KARIZ were both reporting the EOPL as their destination. BEHNAVAZ was reporting Bandar Abbas as its destination. SHABGOUN was reporting Chabahar as its destination.

Iran-flagged ships in the South China Sea on June 18 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The container ship SHABDIS (IMO 9349588) completed cargo operations and departed from Zhuhai container terminal today. SHABDIS then sailed north toward its destination of CJK anchorage near Shanghai, with an estimated arrival of June 21.

The Iran-flagged container ship NORA (IMO 9259408) continued sailing north in the East China Sea to Shanghai. NORA previously conducted cargo operations in the Libyan port of Misrata on May 23 to 24, and its next destination is listed as CJK anchorage near Shanghai, with an estimated arrival of June 19.

The bulk cargo ship BAHJAT (IMO 9405954) remains in the Longshan Shipyard at Zhoushan, near Ningbo, China.

The Iran-flagged bulk cargo ship BATIS (IMO 9465760) remained anchored 80km off Yangcheng in the Yellow Sea.

 [CB1]let's mention the 5 Iran-flagged ships near Penang in the Malacca Strait