(April 21): Three vessels — two cargo ships and a fuel tanker — appeared to have crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday as US and Iranian blockades remained in place.
The Shoja 2, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel, transited the strait and moved into the Gulf of Oman and is now in waters off Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, ship-tracking data showed. The progress of the ship is being closely watched after the US Navy seized another Iranian cargo ship on Sunday, the first capture since Washington imposed a blockade of the waterway last week.
The other two vessels have no clear links to Iran. The Lian Star, a general cargo ship flagged to Gambia, crossed the strait and is now sailing southeast along Iran’s coastline in the Gulf of Oman. The Ean Spir, a medium-range tanker previously named Blue Commander and with no identified owner, began sailing northeast from waters near Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, and is now heading south into the Gulf of Oman, indicating Shinas in Oman as its destination.
Otherwise, traffic through the vital waterway remained at a virtual standstill following a chaotic weekend in which Iran declared the corridor open before closing it again after the US declined to lift its blockade. Around 800 vessels remain stuck in the Persian Gulf.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the American blockade would remain in place for now. The US leader said a two-week ceasefire with Iran, which expires on Wednesday evening in Washington, is not likely to be extended. Talks between the two countries are expected to take place in Pakistan.
Traffic through the strait has been uncertain since the ceasefire came into effect. At least three Mediterranean Shipping Co container ships and a MSC cruise liner, along with a handful of other passenger vessels, appeared to have exited the Persian Gulf on Saturday, hugging the Omani coastline.
See also: Trump signals no truce extension on eve of scheduled peace talks
On Monday, two Iran-linked liquefied petroleum gas carriers, and two oil product tankers — including one with Iranian ties — transited the strait in both directions.
The Lian Star is listed as being owned and managed by Mashini S, a company based in Dubai on the Equasis database, There were no contact details for the entity. The Ean Spir doesn’t appear on any country’s sanctions list, while Equasis lists its flag as unknown — a common tactic among dark-fleet tankers.
Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee
