Iran Shipping Update – October 13, 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.

UANI Field Mission to the Malaysian Eastern Outer Port Limits (EOPL) anchorage

On September 16, the UANI team chartered a typical supply vessel and travelled 100 nautical miles into the South China Sea to witness and expose the illicit activities of the Ghost Fleet in the Malaysian EOPL anchorage. To read the Wall Street Journal op-ed covering the trip—authored by UANI CEO Ambassador Mark Wallace and Chairman Governor Jeb Bush—click here.

UANI team supply vessel in the Malaysian EOPL on September 16 (Credit: UANI)

U.S. Blockade 

On July 14, U.S. forces reimposed the blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas while supporting compliant traffic in regional waters. As of October 11, U.S. forces have redirected 135 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled four that didn’t comply, and boarded two to ensure total compliance. Additionally, U.S. forces have destroyed 10 tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Houthi Blockade

On July 20, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabian ports. Media reports also indicate that the Houthis have seized islands in the Bab el-Mandeb and the port of Mokha.

While Houthi threats and attacks against Saudi-linked shipping initially prompted some tankers to reroute, transits have been slowly rising—likely reflecting a decrease in maritime strikes—according to data published by Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC). However, the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis has escalated following a recent series of deadly Houthi strikes targeting Saudi’s King Khalid International Airport as well as threats to critical energy infrastructure. 

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

Since the start of the Iran War, 106 maritime incidents involving commercial vessels have been reported across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), these incidents have resulted in 24 seafarer deaths.

Prior to the outbreak of the Iran War, about 138 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz daily. Throughout the conflict, marine traffic data showed large clusters of loitering vessels on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, with many ships refraining from transiting due to safety concerns. After the signing of the MoU, JMIC reported an increase in open transits through the Strait of Hormuz. On June 24, JMIC recorded 54 transits, the highest daily total since the outbreak of the conflict. As of October 10, JMIC has reported a total of 1,047 vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz since June 18, for a total of 1,660 since the beginning of the war.

In the past months, an increasing number of vessels are transiting the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz bidirectionally without broadcasting AIS location data, with many of these movements facilitated by U.S. forces. US-facilitated transits through the Strait of Hormuz averaged 28.7 vessels per day with 86 transits recorded during the 72-hour period of October 8–10, bringing the month-to-date October total to 414 transits and raising the cumulative campaign total to 2,434 transits. 

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. Since the blockade resumed, only around nine small tankers carrying Iranian LPG and naphtha 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.  

On October 12, APOLLO OCEAN (IMO 9423322) departed the Gulf of Oman laden with Iranian LPG. The small tanker received 490,000 barrels of Iranian LPG via an STS transfer with TARAWA (IMO 9225342) on September 4. TAWAWA had previously loaded the cargo from Bandar-e Mahshahr, Iran, on August 24. Both of these LPG tankers are listed on UANI’s Ghost Armada for their involvement in Iran’s oil trade. 

Tanker laden with Iranian LPG departing Gulf of Oman on October 12 

(Credit: Marine Traffic & ESA Copernicus)

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers

UANI has identified at least 52 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 October 13 (Credit: UANI)

Number of Iranian Loadings

Since the U.S. reinstated the maritime blockade on July 14, UANI has tracked at least 41 Iranian oil and petrochemical loadings, only eight of which originated from Kharg Island, Iran.

Iran-Linked Tankers Globally

UANI has also monitored Iran-flagged tankers operating beyond the Persian Gulf, particularly in the waters near Malaysia. In the days leading up to the UANI team’s trip to the Malaysian EOPL in the South China Sea, it was purported that Malaysian authorities had conducted enforcement actions in the anchorage. Prior to purported recent enforcement actions, seven Iran-flagged tankers had been loitering in the anchorage, namely: HUMANITY (IMO 9180281),STARLA (IMO 9569621), HILDA I (IMO 9357389), DAN (IMO 9357729), HAPPINESS I (IMO 9212905), HEDY (IMO 9212888), and DORENA (IMO 9569669).

DORENA, HEDY, HUMANITY, and STARLA remained in the EOPL and were last observed clustered together in the anchorage in satellite imagery on October 8. These tankers are most likely empty after already conducting STS transfers of Iranian crude.

However, most likely due to recent enforcement actions by Malaysian authorities, the other Iran-flagged tankers had departed the EOPL and transited the South China Sea northbound to anchorages south of Hong Kong and Zhuhai, China. HILDA 1 conducted an STS transfer of Iranian crude oil south of Zhuhai on September 17, while HAPPINESS I conducted an STS of Iranian crude oil south of Hong Kong on September 22. It is not known exactly where DAN relocated to; however, the tanker briefly broadcasted its location on AIS on September 25 transiting the South China Sea southbound towards the EOPL.

In addition, at least 25 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 October 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Iran-flagged tankers, empty after conducting STS transfers, are now loitering at anchorages across the Indo-Pacific rather than transiting back to Iranian ports because of the U.S. blockade. DIONA (IMO 9569695) is loitering offshore Duqm, Oman, while 20 empty Iran-flagged tankers are currently loitering off Sri Lanka. These tankers are DREAM II (IMO 9356593), STREAM (IMO 9569633), HALTI (IMO 9212890), SEA CLIFF (IMO 9569657), HERO II (IMO 9362073), SILVIA I (IMO 9172052), SNOW (IMO 9569619), HELM (IMO 9357391), DUNE (IMO 9569712), DEEP SEA (IMO 9218492), DIAMOND II (IMO 9218478), DINO 1 (IMO 9569671), SONIA I (IMO 9357365), DORE (IMO 9357717), HERBY (IMO 9362059), SEVIN (IMO 9357353), FELICITY (IMO 9183934), HENNA (IMO 9212929), AMBER (IMO 9357406), and HUGE (IMO 9357183). From August 23, most of these Iran-flagged tankers departed the Galle anchorage and started loitering within the vicinity of Sri Lanka, possibly driven by heightened regulatory or enforcement pressure following press coverage of UANI’s monitoring of Iran-flagged tankers in Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). By October 13, all of these tankers had relocated to other Sri Lankan anchorages further north up the coast and are intermittently broadcasting their locations via AIS.

Movement of Iran-flagged tankers near Sri Lanka between September 13 and October 13 

(Credit: Marine Traffic)

Iran-Flagged Cargo Ships Globally

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

Iran-flagged cargo vessels across the region on October 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In Iranian waters of the Gulf of Oman, the falsely flagged container ship ZYRA (IMO 9237084) is underway from westbound, listing Colombo, Sri Lanka, as its destination. This cargo ship may be interdicted by U.S. naval forces if it breaches the blockade.

Iran-linked cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman on October 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In the Red Sea, the Iranian-flagged container ship NYRA 2 (IMO 9241487) transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into the Red Sea toward the Suez Canal, after departing Mumbai on October 6.

Iran-flagged cargo vessel in the Red Sea on October 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Near Karachi, Pakistan, the falsely flagged Iranian-linked container ships BATIS (IMO 9465760) and ARTMAN (IMO 9405930) remained anchored in the Karachi OPL anchorage.

At the Gulf of Kutch in India, SHAMIM (IMO 9270658), VELON 1 (IMO 9122473), and DAISY (IMO 9270684) remained anchored near Kandla Port.

At Mumbai, India, the OFAC-sanctioned and falsely flagged container ship ENZO 2 (IMO 9236652) remained anchored at the Mumbai OPL.

At Port Klang, Malaysia, the container ship VIRA 1 (IMO 9088524) arrived at the anchorage on October 11 from the EOPL, subsequently shifting to berth at the container terminal on October 13. FLORA (IMO 9349576) also pulled into Port Klang Container Terminal Berth 22 from the anchorage. Meanwhile, the falsely flagged TAVA 4 (IMO 9292151) is en route from Mumbai to Port Klang with an estimated arrival of October 17.

Iran-flagged cargo vessels at Port Klang on October 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

At the Malaysian EOPL, 17 Iranian-flagged cargo ships were in or near the anchorage: BEHDOKHT (IMO 9405978), DARYABAR (IMO 9369710), PARISAN (IMO 9465851), GOLAFRUZ (IMO 9323833), ANDIA (IMO 9193197), BAHJAT (IMO 9405954), ARDAVAN (IMO 9465863), KASHAN (IMO 9270696), ARZIN (IMO 9284142), PARNIA (IMO 9167265), AMINA (IMO 9305192), ARIES (IMO 9369722), ARTIN (IMO 9305221), GANJ (IMO 9305219), RAYEN (IMO 9820245), ARTABAZ (IMO 9283007), and BARZIN (IMO 9820269). Most of these vessels will likely remain in the EOPL while the U.S. blockade is still in force, receiving regular logistics support from Malaysian service providers, despite the risk of secondary sanctions from OFAC.

Iran-flagged cargo ships near the Malaysian EOPL on October 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In Thailand, the bulk carrier PARSHAD (IMO 9387786) continued to loiter in international waters about 40km south of Sattahip. Meanwhile, the bulk carrier DELNAVAZ (IMO 9387803) remained anchored just south of Phuket Island in the Andaman Sea. 

The container ship SHIBA (IMO 9270646) completed a port visit to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on October 12, and departed for Jakarta, Indonesia, with an estimated arrival of October 17. Meanwhile, AREZOO (IMO 9165786) is en route from Port Klang to Haiphong, Vietnam, and will likely arrive on October 15.

At Zhuhai, China, the container ships ARTENOS (IMO 9820245) and RADIN (IMO 9820257) remained in the anchorage. Zhuhai Port at Gaolan Island has previously been identified in media reports as a source of precursor chemicals for rocket fuel. 

In the South China Sea, the container ship ALOR 2 (IMO 9228538), which previously departed Zhuhai, is drifting in the South China Sea about 150 km northwest of the Subi Reef.

Near Shanghai, the container ships ASYAN (IMO 9165803) and ABYAN (IMO 9349667) remained anchored at CJK anchorage, while SHABDIS (IMO 9349588) continued to loiter in international waters east of the Dachen Sea. 

Meanwhile, the container ship BEHTA (IMO 9349590) got underway and sailed south via the Taiwan Strait, listing its destination at the Suez Canal, after loitering in the East China Sea for 19 days, with an estimated arrival of November 1.

Iran-flagged cargo ship in the Taiwan Strait on October 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In the Atlantic, the container ship FLEXI 2 (IMO 9246322) loitered near Portuguese waters before transiting the Gibraltar Strait on October 13. Its destination is the Port Said anchorage, with an estimated arrival of October 21.

Iran-flagged cargo ship near Gibraltar Strait on October 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The Iranian-flagged general cargo ship ALVAN (IMO 9165798) got underway from Misrata, Libya, and sailed past Benghazi, with its destination listed as Port Said.

Iran-flagged cargo ship near Libya on October 13 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In Kenya, the Iranian-flagged container ships HAMOUNA (IMO 9820271), NESHAT (IMO 9167277), and GOLSAN (IMO 9165815) remained anchored at the Lamu anchorage.