Sanctioned oil tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz, defying US blockade

An oil tanker transited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday afternoon, shortly after the Trump administration's blockade on Iranian shipping was set to take effect, according to data from Kpler, a platform providing intelligence and analytics on global trade flows.

The ship, registered in Comoros as Elpis, is partially laden and was sanctioned by the United States in 2025 for its “involvement in the sale, purchase, and transportation of Iranian petroleum” as part of Iran’s shadow fleet, News.Az reports, citing CNN.

Conversely, a Botswana-registered tanker, Ostria, turned back while attempting to transit the strait. Just 41 minutes after Trump’s deadline, the ship changed its intended destination from Oman to the United Arab Emirates after turning around, according to CNN’s review of Kpler ship-tracking data.

Minutes after the blockade took effect, another tanker, Rich Starry, broadcast its status as “drifting” off the coast of Qeshm Island, apparently stalling its voyage through the channel.

Hours before the start of the US blockade, shipping data showed traffic at the key waterway had thinned.

News.Az 

By Ulviyya Salmanli