More Non-Iranian Ships Seen Crossing Strait Of Hormuz, Despite Tehran's Blockade

Last Updated:May 28, 2026, 23:16 IST

Non Iran linked tankers resume Strait of Hormuz transits as China, India, South Korea and Japan coordinate with Iran, while new US sanctions on PGSA heighten regional tensions.

A growing number of non-Iran-linked vessels are once again passing through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, despite Iran’s ongoing blockade of the waterway amid the wider Middle East conflict, according to maritime data released on Thursday.

Analytics from maritime firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence showed that ships flagged under countries including Singapore, the UAE, South Korea and Norway have resumed crossing the strait in larger numbers in recent weeks.

“The last week we saw ships flagged with Singapore, UAE, South Korea, and also a Norway-flagged vessel going through the Gulf, specifically exiting," said analyst Bridget Diakun of Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

The trend is especially visible among very large crude carriers (VLCCs) not connected to Iran. Data from analytics firm Kpler showed that more than half of the 27 such tanker crossings recorded since the conflict began took place in May alone.

Between May 20 and May 26, five major oil tankers exited the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.

Among them were the Eagle Veracruz, sailing under the Singapore flag, and the Eagle Verona and Yuan Gui Yang, both Chinese-flagged vessels, all reportedly headed to China.

The Universal Winner, flagged by South Korea, was bound for South Korea, while the Nissos Keros, flying the Marshall Islands flag, was reportedly heading to India.

According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, countries including China, India, South Korea and Japan have coordinated with Iranian authorities to ensure safe passage for vessels through the waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes, carrying a major share of global oil and gas exports from Gulf countries.

Iran formally established the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) on May 18 to oversee navigation and collect transit fees in the strait.

However, the move has triggered opposition from Washington. The US Treasury Department on Wednesday announced sanctions against the PGSA and warned that penalties could also be imposed on entities paying transit fees to the authority.

The growing tensions have added uncertainty to shipping operations in the region.

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported on Thursday that Iranian forces had fired at four ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz without authorisation.

The developments come amid renewed tensions between the United States and Iran, with both sides accusing each other of violating an ongoing truce following months of military escalation that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year.

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