Greek Tanker Carrying Iraqi Oil Appears to Stop Before US Blockade
The Greek-owned tanker Agios Fanourios I appears to be holding short of the U.S. blockade line in the Gulf of Oman after having been permitted by Iran to transit the Strait of Hormuz. Bloomberg first reported that the vessel had changed course, speculating that U.S. forces may have redirected the ship.
CENTCOM has not acknowledged any specific actions against the tanker, but Iran’s Wawa News Agency, which is closely aligned with the IRGC, was quick to jump on the story as part of the propaganda war. It cited the tanker being held up in the Gulf of Oman, saying the world could blame the Americans for skyrocketing oil prices.
Bloomberg reports the tanker changed course overnight and slowed from its speed of 13 knots. At first, it was heading back toward Oman at 5 knots, and its last AIS transmissions later on Tuesday are showing it creeping along at just 1.2 knots. The AIS still shows Vietnam as the vessel’s destination.
CENTCOM, in its latest update, increased the number to 65 vessels that have been redirected, up from 62 it reported on Monday. Donald Trump told reporters yesterday that the blockade remains in full force, while he said the ceasefire was on “life support” after he received an “unbelievably weak” proposal from Iran. “I would call it the weakest, right now, after reading that piece of garbage they sent us — I didn’t even finish reading it,” Trump said. He compared the chances of the ceasefire continuing to a one percent survival rate.
The tanker Agios Fanourios I, however, appeared to be beyond the limitations being imposed. It made its way into the Gulf several weeks ago and loaded the crude shipment at Iraq’s Basra Oil Terminal. The 300,000-dwt tanker, which is registered in Malta, had been holding, but yesterday Iran said the vessel had been permitted to make the transit.
The tanker was one of only a handful of vessels that made the transit on Monday and illustrates the unpredictability of the situation in the region.
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Iran on Monday appeared to turn back a second Qatari LNG carrier after permitting one to make the transit on Sunday. The 175,000 cbm Mihzem approached the Strait but turned back on Monday. However, its AIS signal now shows the vessel transited the Strait on Tuesday and is moving along the coast toward Pakistan.
Maritime AI intelligence firm Windward writes that “commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz increasingly appears to be operating under dark or EMCON conditions.” Windward identified nine commercial tanker transits through Hormuz on May 11, including dark fleet-linked LPG and product tankers. Windward reports, “Vessels are increasingly displaying adaptive operating behavior, including prolonged dark anchorage periods, ship-to-ship transfers, and possible physical hull-protection measures.”