Iran-Linked Ships Take New Path To Trickle Into the Persian Gulf

(Bloomberg) -- At least two US-sanctioned, Iran-linked vessels made their way through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf on Thursday, taking what may be a new route from the United Arab Emirates even as a US blockade enters its third day.

Shipowners, energy traders and investors have been closely monitoring transits through the strait for indications of how Tehran and Washington are exercising control over one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors. Only a handful of vessels have crossed since the US began interdicting traffic — in large part because crews now have to clear not one but two navies to secure safe passage for themselves and their cargo.

Liquefied petroleum gas carrier G Summer made its way into the Persian Gulf by passing between Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands late on Wednesday afternoon, ship-tracking data show. An empty tanker, it was broadcasting that it has Chinese ownership and crew — a frequent safety measure — while indicating Iraq’s Khor Al Zubair port as its destination. 

Very-large crude carrier Hong Lu — which, like G Summer, has been blacklisted by Washington over its ties with Iran — went through the islands shortly afterward. The VLCC, which can carry up to two million barrels of crude, isn’t loaded and is now sailing west along Iran’s coastline. It briefly signaled Iraq’s Basrah as a destination, but now indicates it is waiting for orders.

G Summer and Hong Lu arrived off Fujairah, in the United Arab Emirates, earlier this week, before moving northeast across the Gulf of Oman to the Iranian coastline on Wednesday, then northward into Hormuz — an unusually circuitous path. 

A few hours before them, bulk carrier Rosalina took the same route, signaling it is heading to an Iranian port with food.

A small products tanker, Nobler, crossed eastward in the strait out into the Gulf of Oman a few hours later. It sailed just south of Larak island out of Hormuz, and is indicating Oman’s Sohar as a destination. The vessel had entered the Persian Gulf early February and has remained there over the course of the seven-week conflict.

Nobler’s departure from the Persian Gulf follows two Iran-linked container ships. On Wednesday, the Golbon and the Kashan appear to have left the Persian Gulf, hugging the coast of Iran as they head toward its border with Pakistan.

While the double blockade has not stopped traffic, transits have slowed to a trickle, and no laden Iranian oil tankers appeared to make their way out through Hormuz — an absence that puts a wartime flow of around 1.7 million barrels per day at risk, but could indicate a desire to avoid confrontation. Electronic interference and the practice of switching off transponders, however, mean not all passages may be spotted.

US Central Command said Wednesday that no vessels got through its blockade, and that nine complied with US forces’ instructions to return toward Iran. Tehran, meanwhile, claimed that one of its own oil supertankers had broken the US blockade. Although it didn’t name the ship, it may have been referring to the Alicia, an empty US-sanctioned ship that made an inbound transit, passing Iran’s Larak Island on Wednesday several hours before Hong Lu.

Ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show 11 merchant vessels crossed on Tuesday, though they averaged 16 over the weekend, before the US blockade. That’s relatively high for the weeks of conflict, but is still far below pre-war levels that averaged at about 135 a day.

G Summer is owned and managed by Hong Kong-based Seaport-Glory Marine Co. Ltd., according to database Equasis. There were no contact details for the company. The database did not identify Hong Lu’s manager and owner, a common trait of dark-fleet vessels.

Pacific Dream Shipping is listed as Rosalina’s owner, but has no known contact details. It shares the same Monaco-based address as Sea World Management s.a.m., which did not immediately respond to an email and a call seeking comment outside of regular business hours.

Nobler’s owner, Ruisheng Ship Management Ltd., uses the same address as its manager, Qingdao Shengxiang Shipping Co. that’s based in China. Qingdao Shengxiang didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

©2026 Bloomberg L.P.