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Two Sanctioned Tankers May Have Bypassed U.S. Navy Blockade on Iran

Vesselfinder
The VLCC Alicia (VesselFinder / Chinmaya Mohapatra)

Published Apr 15, 2026 6:26 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Despite U.S. Central Command's claims of a total lockdown of Iranian shipping, vessel tracking consultancies have identified Iran-linked, sanctioned tankers that appear to have transited the Strait of Hormuz without difficulty - with AIS enabled and publicly broadcasting their positions. AIS data can be manipulated, and the transits could not be immediately confirmed.

Within the last 24 hours, two sanctioned "shadow fleet" VLCCs - identified as IMO 9208215 (current name Rhn) and IMO 9281695 (current name Alicia) - appear to have transited the strait en route to Iran, according to TankerTrackers.com. Iran has officially claimed that the Alicia made a successful transit. 

Together, the VLCCs have the capacity to take on about four million barrels of Iranian oil, which would be valued at about $400 million (if they can exit the Gulf and deliver to Iran's largely Chinese customers). Even without making the return journey out of the Gulf, they would still provide Iran with extra floating storage, enabling another three days of continued production without shut-ins. 

The tankers' destination was predictable. "These two dames of steel have transported 60 million barrels of Iranian crude oil since 2023," wrote TankerTrackers.com.

CENTCOM maintains that the blockade is airtight, and says that it has already turned around about 10 outbound vessels with links to Iran. "American forces halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea," the command said in a statement Wednesday. "During the first 48 hours of the U.S. blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports, no vessels have made it past U.S. forces."

So far, the U.S. Navy has not announced any boarding, search and seizure operations in connection with the blockade. An opposed boarding would be a step change in the campaign, and would be viewed as a violation of flag state sovereignty; the U.S. is said to be close to resuming formal peace talks with Iran, and may wish to avoid an escalatory act pending further diplomatic developments.

Shipping has been forewarned about the possibility of a boarding. U.S. forces have issued a stern notice to mariners, advising that any passing vessels could be "subject to interception, diversion, and capture" if it is discovered that they are headed to or from Iranian ports. 

"Neutral vessels may still be subject to the right of visit and search to determine the presence of contraband cargo," the NOTAM advises. "Humanitarian shipments including food, medical supplies, and other goods essential for survival of the civilian populations will be permitted, subject to inspection."

Vessels that are headed to and from ports in other GCC nations are explicitly allowed to pass the U.S. naval cordon. AIS data suggests that among neutral vessels that choose to make a Hormuz transit, many appear to be taking the Iranian-controlled "Tehran Tollbooth" route near the island of Larak, complying with the terms of the Iranian blockade as well as the U.S. blockade. This includes the first unsanctioned, "clean" supertanker to make the crossing since the start of the U.S. blockade, the Malta-flagged Agios Fanourios I, transiting in ballast and bound for Iraq.

Top image: The sanctioned VLCC Alicia (VesselFinder / Chinmaya Mohapatra)