Iranian Shipping Blockade to Expand Says US as Hormuz Remains at Standstill
The Pentagon on Friday, during a press briefing on the conflict with Iran, vowed to expand the blockade on shipping while saying it was becoming more effective and stronger. The strategy continues to apply economic pressure on Iran by choking off most shipping, while, however, Iran continues its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz.
“We seized their sanctioned ships, and we will seize more,” said U.S. Secretary Pete Hegseth. “Our blockade is growing and going global.”
Hegseth pointed to the three vessels that were interdicted this week, including the two sanctioned shadow fleet tankers now under U.S. control in the Indian Ocean. He said as of Friday morning that the U.S. had diverted 34 ships without incident and would be going after other vessels that might have exited the Persian Gulf before the blockade began last week. He highlighted the pending arrival of another carrier group in the region.
He also confirmed that on Donald Trump’s orders, U.S. Navy commanders' rules of engagement were changed so that they would “shoot to kill” and destroy any Iranian fast boats that attempt to put mines in the water or disrupt passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Furthermore, he said they would destroy any boats that threaten American commercial shipping or American forces.
Despite the pronouncements, only five or six ships made it through the Strait in the past 24 hours as of Friday, multiple sources reported. At least one Iranian-flagged oil product tanker, the 50,000 dwt Niki (aka Clavel), was underway, but as a sanctioned ship, it would likely be challenged if it pushed south into the Gulf of Oman. Also, the crude oil tanker Helga (299,000 dwt), flagged in Comoros, arrived at Iraq’s Basra port, only the second tanker to reach the port since the Strait was closed.
At the same time, in a possible indication that the blockade is impacting Iran's oil sector, reports are that the state shipping company is hauling a 30-year-old laid-up tanker, Nasha (IMO. 9079107) from storage toward Kharg Island. TankerTrackers.com spotted the movement from the anchorage and said it could take four days to position the vessel. It is believed the ship, which is 298,732 dwt, will be used as floating storage so that Iran can continue crude production.
Bloomberg reports a sanctioned shadow fleet tanker, Yuri (319,000 dwt), moved toward the Iranian checkpoint. It is carrying two million barrels of crude and would likely be stopped by the U.S. It was holding near Iran, not yet attempting to exit the Strait. Iran, however, reported that the IRGC had escorted at least one bulker loaded with rice into its port without incident.
Containership movements came to a halt after Iran seized the two vessels operating for MSC on Wednesday. Alphaliner reports a total of 54 container vessels crossed the Strait in 53 days since the start of the hostilities, with half linked to Iran. It said 27 were non-Iranian. Maersk exited one vessel on March 1, but there were no others until COSCO’s three ships left at the end of March. CMA CGM got one vessel out in early April, and Hapag-Lloyd is confirming that it got one vessel out this week. Alphaliner reports it was the Liberian-flagged Tema Express (42,50 TEU) and made the transit on April 21, the day before Iran attacked the three containerships and seized two of them.
A spokesperson for Hapag told Reuters it has four other vessels and 100 crewmembers still trapped. One other ship that the company had on charter ended its charter and is no longer under Hapag’s control but remains in the Persian Gulf.
Alphaliner notes that most of the container vessels that made the transit were smaller or regional feeders. Lloyd’s Intelligence’s data says there are 43 containerships from the top lines still trapped.
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The International Maritime Organization (IMO) gave an update on Friday ahead of a presentation by Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez scheduled for Monday to the UN Security Council. It believes there are around 20,000 seafarers still trapped in the Persian Gulf and approximately 1,600 ships. Since the start of the war, it has verified 29 attacks on vessels and says at least 10 seafarers have died.
It continues to urge maximum caution, citing the potential mines in the Strait of Hormuz and the threat of further attacks on shipping. The IMO continues to work with member states and partners on an evacuation plan. They said it would be ready to be implemented when it is safe to do so.
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