According to Reuters, oil tankers have begun avoiding the Strait of Hormuz amid rising geopolitical tensions after failed US–Iran peace negotiations over the weekend and reports of an impending US naval blockade in the region.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US Navy would move to block the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions following marathon talks that failed to produce a deal to formally end hostilities and reinforce a fragile two-week ceasefire. The announcement triggered immediate concern across global shipping and energy markets due to the strait’s critical role in international oil transport.
US Central Command reportedly stated that maritime restrictions on vessels entering and exiting Iranian ports would begin at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) on Monday. It said the measures would be applied to all ships accessing Iranian ports in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, while assuring that freedom of navigation for non-Iranian transit through the strait would not be impeded. Further operational details were expected to be issued to commercial shipping operators.
In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz would be treated as a violation of the ceasefire, threatening a “decisive” response.
Shipping data cited by Reuters showed several oil tankers altering routes or avoiding the strait altogether. Pakistan-flagged tankers Shalamar and Khairpur were reported entering the Gulf, with the Shalamar heading toward the United Arab Emirates to load Das crude, while Khairpur was en route to Kuwait for refined products.
Other vessels also reacted to the uncertainty. The Liberia-flagged VLCC Mombasa B was seen operating in the Gulf after transiting the strait, while the Malta-flagged Agios Fanourios I reportedly turned back after initially attempting to enter the Gulf to load Iraqi Basra crude for Vietnam.
Despite the heightened tensions, Reuters reported that several fully laden supertankers had successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz earlier, suggesting continued but increasingly cautious movement through one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.