Strait of Hormuz Sees Uninterrupted Shipping on First Day of US Blockade, Data Reveals

The US blockade targeting vessels heading to Iranian ports kicked off, but initial shipping data from the Strait of Hormuz suggests traffic kept flowing with barely a hitch. On the blockade's opening day, at least eight ships, including three linked to Iran, navigated the waterway without being stopped.

President Donald Trump announced the blockade following failed peace talks with Iran in Islamabad. The move has stirred uncertainty among oil shippers, insurers, and traders, though the daily crossings remain way below the pre-conflict 130-plus ships seen before February 28.

US Central Command reported on social media that no ships breached the blockade in the first 24 hours and stated six vessels complied with instructions to return to Iranian ports. Interestingly, three Iran-affiliated tankers passed the Strait but weren't bound for Iranian docks, so weren't impacted.

One example: the Panama-flagged tanker Peace Gulf is en route to the UAE's Hamriyah port. Historically, this ship ferries Iranian naphtha, a petrochemical feedstock, onwards from the Middle East to Asian markets, suggesting commercial flows remain intact despite heightened tensions.

Two US-sanctioned tankers also slipped through. Murlikishan, heading to Iraq to pick up fuel oil, has a history of transporting Russian and Iranian oils, while Rich Starry, owned by a sanctioned Chinese company, is expected to be the first to exit the Gulf since the blockade started, carrying a large methanol cargo from Hamriyah.

China's foreign ministry criticized the US action as "dangerous and irresponsible," warning of escalating tensions, though they have not confirmed details on Chinese ships passing the Strait.

Besides tankers, the Strait saw movement from chemical and gas carriers, dry bulk ships, and a cargo vessel docking at Iran's Bandar Abbas. The US military clarified humanitarian shipments won't be blocked, emphasizing an intermittent blockade strategy, with warships positioned outside the Strait proper in the Gulf of Oman.

Despite these developments, war-risk insurance costs have held steady since the blockade began, albeit remaining significantly high, reviewed every 48 hours. Maritime analysts note that commercial traffic in the Strait might stay minimal moving forward, highlighting the fragile situation on the world's critical oil chokepoint.