Gulf Transit Challenges

Since 13 April, vessels entering or leaving the Middle East Gulf have faced significant challenges. The US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, while Iran has enforced a de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Dual Blockades

There are two distinct and operationally independent blockades: the Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the US naval blockade of Iranian ports. These blockades target different actors, operate under different legal frameworks, and have different geographic reach.

Iranian vessels or vessels with close ties to Iran face challenges with the US blockade.
Non-Iranian vessels or vessels without agreements with Iran face challenges with the passage of the Strait of Hormuz.

Understanding this distinction is crucial for tracking flows, Gulf export disruption, and the prospects for physical market recovery.

Passages through the US Blockade

Vortexa has observed 34 energy tankers with Iranian links transiting the area between April 13-21. Six dark outbound transits carried 10.7mn barrels of Iranian crude, with three reportedly interdicted by the US.

Passages via the Strait of Hormuz

Passages through the Strait of Hormuz have not collapsed outright but have shifted into a more selectively constrained transit environment. On average, 4.5 transits per day were observed between April 13-21, compared to 4 transits per day in the preceding 30 days.