Iran Shipping Update – November 3, 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.

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

Since the start of the Iran War, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has confirmed 128 maritime incidents involving commercial vessels across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. According to the IMO, these incidents have resulted in 24 seafarer deaths.

Today, the damaged tanker RITI (IMO 9249075) was observed in the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz. RITI was previously struck on October 29 while transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz near Khasab, Oman, resulting in a small fire onboard and loss of propulsion.

Damaged tanker in Omani waters of the Strait of Hormuz on November 3 (Credit: ESA Copernicus)

In the past months, an increasing number of vessels have transited the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz bidirectionally without broadcasting AIS location data, with many of these movements facilitated by U.S. forces. Today, multiple vessels were spotted transiting the southern corridor of Strait of Hormuz in satellite imagery.

Tanker convoys in the Strait of Hormuz on November 3 (Credit: ESA Copernicus)

U.S.-facilitated transits through the Strait of Hormuz surged to 39.7 vessels per day, with 119 transits recorded during the closing 72-hour period of October (October 29–31). The full monthly total for October is 956 transits across 31 days at 30.8 per day, pushing the cumulative campaign total to 3,089 transits at an overall average of 23.1 per day across 134 monitored days.

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. As of October 31, U.S. forces have redirected 144 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled four that didn’t comply, and boarded two to ensure total compliance.

Since the blockade resumed, approximately 11 small tankers carrying Iranian LPG 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. 

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers

UANI has identified at least 56 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 November 3 (Credit: UANI)

Number of Iranian Loadings

Since the U.S. reinstated the maritime blockade on July 14, UANI has tracked at least 53 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. At least 21 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 22 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 November 3 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

On November 2, one STS transfer of Iranian fuel oil was observed in satellite imagery taking place in the EOPL anchorage near four empty Iran-flagged tankers.

STS transfer in the EOPL anchorage on November 2 (Credit: ESA Copernicus)

Iran-flagged tankers, empty after conducting STS transfers in the EOPL, 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). Between October 23 and 26, at least six of these tankers transited back towards the Galle anchorage and then returned to the anchorages further north up the Sri Lankan coastline.

On October 24, Sri Lanka coordinated the evacuation of 40 Iranian seafarers from 19 commercial vessels operating in international waters off its coast following reported medical emergencies, according to the country’s foreign ministry. The seafarers were brought ashore at Galle Harbour, where they received medical treatment before being repatriated to Iran.

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, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean, and Baltic Sea.

Iran-flagged cargo vessels across the region on November 3 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In the Russian Pacific, the Iranian flagged container ship AYSAN (IMO 9165803) arrived and berthed at Vladivostok Port, Russia. This is the first Iranian cargo ship to openly visit Vladivostok since the start of the Iran War.

Iran-flagged cargo ship at Vladivostok on November 3 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In the Gulf of Finland, the container ship ZARDIS (IMO 9349679) arrived and anchored in the vicinity of Bronka Port, near St. Petersburg, Russia. It previously departed Port Klang, Malaysia, on October 8, before transiting the Suez Canal on October 21.

Iran-flagged cargo ship near St Petersburg on November 3 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In the English Channel, the container ship NYRA 2 (IMO 9241487) transited the Dover Strait, heading to St Petersburg, Russia, from Mumbai, with an estimated arrival of November 10. The Dover Strait is a mandatory reporting area, and ships passing through the UK section may be required to provide proof of valid insurance when requested by UK authorities, even if they are not calling at a UK port.

Iran-flagged cargo ship in the English Channel on November 3 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

At Libya, the container ship BASHT (IMO 9346536) remained in port at Benghazi, Libya. Its previous port visits were to Zhuhai and then Port Klang, continuing a pattern of Iranian cargo ships connecting these ports.

In Turkish waters, the general cargo ship ALVAN (IMO 9165798) has been loitering near Tenedos Island, near the entrance to the Turkish Straits, since October 23. The vessel remains likely to transit the Turkish Straits toward a Russian port, though its departure is likely delayed awaiting more favorable security conditions amid ongoing drone strike risks in the Black Sea.

Iran-flagged cargo ship near the Turkish Straits on November 3 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Near the Gulf of Aden, the Iranian-flagged container ship BEHTA (IMO 9349590) transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into the Red Sea on its way to the Suez Canal, with an estimated arrival of November 6. BEHTA is sailing from Shanghai to Suez and will likely then sail onward to a Russian port. The container vessel FLEXI 2 (IMO 9246322) stopped and drifted for several hours in proximity to the Yemen–Oman maritime border while en route to Kandla, India. FLEXI 2 maintains an estimated arrival of November 8. Meanwhile, SHAMIM (IMO 9270658) continued to sail in the Arabian Sea from Kandla to Mombasa, Kenya, with an estimated arrival of November 8.

Iran-flagged cargo ships near the Gulf of Aden on November 3 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

At Mumbai, the container chip ENZO 2 (IMO 9236652) briefly entered Mumbai Harbor and returned to the anchorage area for unknown reasons.

Iran-flagged cargo ship in Mumbai Harborr on November 3 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

In the Malacca Strait, ALOR 2 (IMO 9228538) relocated from its anchorage at Port Dickson to the anchorage near Port Klang, Malaysia.

At the Malaysian EOPL, 18 Iranian-flagged cargo ships remained in the anchorage: 

AMINA (IMO 9305192), ANDIA (IMO 9193197), ARDAVAN (IMO 9465863), ARIES (IMO 9369722), ARTABAZ (IMO 9283007), ARTIN (IMO 9305221), ARZIN (IMO 9284142), BAHJAT (IMO 9405954), BARZIN (IMO 9820269), BEHDOKHT (IMO 9405978), DARYABAR (IMO 9369710), GANJ (IMO 9305219), GOLAFRUZ (IMO 9323833), KASHAN (IMO 9270696), PARISAN (IMO 9465851), PARNIA (IMO 9167265), RADIN (IMO 9820257), and RAYEN (IMO 9820245).  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.

VELON 1 (9122473) and NADIA (IMO 9122461) approached the Singapore Strait. VELON 1 is heading to the EOPL from Kandla. NADIA departed Port Klang today and is en route to Jakarta, with an estimated arrival of November 7.

Iran-flagged cargo ships in the Malacca Strait and EOPL on November 3 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

The container ship AREZOO (IMO 9165786) continued to sail northwest in the Java Sea on its way to Port Klang, with an estimated arrival of November 6.

At Shanghai, the container ship TAVA 4 (IMO 9292151) departed Shanghai terminal and indicated its next port is Zhuhai, with an estimated arrival of November 6. FLORA (IMO 9349576) arrived from Zhuhai at the CJK anchorage.