Two large crude carriers briefly reversed course while attempting to enter the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday after the end of US–Iran negotiations and renewed uncertainty over the two-week ceasefire.
According to vessel tracking data, three very large crude carriers (VLCCs) approached the narrow maritime chokepoint from the Gulf of Oman late Saturday night. By early Sunday, the Iraq-bound Agios Fanourios I and the Pakistan-flagged Shalamar headed toward the UAE made sudden U-turns near the waters off Iran’s Larak Island.
A third tanker, Mombasa B, continued its passage through the approved shipping corridor between Larak and Qeshm islands, though its final destination remains unclear.
The vessels had prior clearance for transit but their abrupt change tells us it’s complicated.
The waterway has seen heightened caution in recent weeks amid ongoing regional tensions. Although some vessels have successfully passed through, others have aborted transit attempts.
Earlier incidents include container ships and LNG carriers reversing course mid-transit, while recent days have shown a modest improvement in successful passages through the strait.
There has been no official announcement by tankers on the Hormuz situation so far.
