Oslo: A convoy of eight tankers was observed transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, according to vessel tracking data, as certain ship owners voiced hopes that Tehran would greenlight their departure from the Gulf during a fleeting ceasefire pause in the Iran conflict.
The formation—made up of one very large crude oil carrier (VLCC), multiple oil product and chemical tankers, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers — was navigating Iranian waters south of Larak Island, per MarineTraffic records. Additional tankers were observed trailing from inside the Gulf, Reuters reported.
Hundreds of vessels have remained trapped in the Gulf since late February, when the US and Israel initiated military action against Iran, prompting Tehran to seal off the strait and triggering sharp production cuts in oil and gas across Gulf states.
Following a US-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, Iran has allowed limited transit through the strait, which handled a fifth of global oil trade before the war.
Several ship owners indicated they plan to exploit this brief opening to depart the Gulf while it holds, speaking on condition of anonymity given the issue’s delicacy.
Since Fraday afternoon, various ships have approached the strait only to reverse course, suggesting restrictions persist.
In a Saturday morning statement, an Iranian Revolutionary Guards spokesperson said: “Following prior agreements reached in negotiations, the Islamic Republic of Iran, acting in good faith, agreed to the managed passage of a limited number of oil tankers and commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.”
The International Energy Agency noted the strait closure inflicted the biggest supply disruption on record — exceeding 10 million barrels of oil per day and a 20% drop in worldwide liquefied natural gas supply.
Leading Gulf exporters including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, and Kuwait emphasize that steady tanker movements and unfettered strait access are essential to restarting normal oil export levels.
