UANI - Iran Shipping Update - July 7, 226 -

 

July is 7, 2026

The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a broad 60-day authorization, General License X, for Iranian oil exports on June 22, but later revoked it on July 7. This follows a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran signed by President Trump on June 17, lifting a two month-long maritime blockade on Iranian ports and leading to a resumption of Iranian oil exports. To read UANI’s Statement on the MoU, click here.   Status of the Strait of Hormuz Since the start of the Iran War, the International Maritime organization (IMO) has reported 51 maritime incidents involving commercial vessels have been reported across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.   The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) provided an update today: “Incidents reported this period resulted in an increase in the SOH threat level to SEVERE. IRGC attacks, hailing, UAS activity, and targeted surveillance continued throughout the period, indicating sustained monitoring of commercial shipping and a continued intent to assert presence across key transit lanes”   The most recent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacks on commercial shipping include the Qatari-owned LPG tanker AL REKAYYAT (IMO: 9397339), the Saudi-flagged tanker WEDYAN (IMO 9524970). An additional attack on an unnamed tanker in Omani waters has also been reported by JMIC. Prior to the outbreak of the Iran War, about 138 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz daily. Throughout the conflict, marine traffic data showed large clusters of loitering vessels on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, with many ships refraining from transiting due to safety concerns. Since the signing of the MoU, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) has reported an increase in open transits through the Strait of Hormuz. On June 24, JMIC recorded 54 transits, the highest daily total since the outbreak of the conflict. As of July 4, JMIC has reported a total of 492 vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz since the date of the signing of the MoU.

Vessel Transits of the Strait of Hormuz (Data Credit: JMIC)   In the days following the MoU, transits were dominated by Chinese- and Iran-linked traffic using the northern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz. However, there has since been an increase in transits, including Western-linked vessels, through the southern corridor, likely reflecting its gradual widening due to demining operations, as well as a broader increase in commercial willingness to transit the Strait. Open transits of commercial vessels through the southern corridor declined following the maritime strikes on June 25 and 27, as well as July 6 and 7, but have not ceased entirely.   On July 6, JMIC issued an advisory to the shipping industry, reminding mariners, “that the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz has been expanded and remains available for all traffic. Mariners are advised that they may transit the southern route day or night with their AIS on, radars radiating, running lights on, and normal use of VHF in accordance with best management practices for maritime security.” Strait of Hormuz transits on July 7 at 10:00 UTC (Credit: Marine Traffic)   Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers Departing the Gulf of Oman Since the announcement of the MoU on June 14, UANI has tracked 47 tankers departing the Gulf of Oman laden with Iranian oil and petrochemicals. These exports represent approximately 58 million barrels of Iranian oil, generating an estimated revenue of over $4.5 billion for the IRGC, which continues to fund Iran’s missile and drone programs. These figures are estimates. The pricing and volumes associated with Chinese purchases of Iranian crude are not publicly disclosed, though such cargoes are widely assessed to be sold at a discount of around 10 to 12 dollars per barrel.   On July 7, ATILA (IMO 9233753) transited out of the Gulf of Oman laden with 1.9 million barrels of Iranian crude it had previously loaded at Kharg Island on July 2. Tanker laden with Iranian crude departing the Gulf of Oman on July 7 (Credit: Marine Traffic)   Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers UANI has identified at least 46 tankers laden with Iranian oil — primarily crude, but also other petroleum products and LPG — currently operating along the Iranian coastline.

Positions of tankers laden with Iranian oil on July 7 (Credit: UANI)   Number of Iranian Loadings Since the signing of the U.S.-Iran MoU on June 17, UANI has tracked at least 19 Iranian oil and petrochemical loadings, 11 of which originated from Kharg Island, Iran. On July 7, satellite imagery showed three Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) loading Iranian crude at Kharg Island, with a combined volume of approximately six million barrels. These Iran-flagged tankers were among the first to return to the Persian Gulf from various anchorages in Asia to load Iranian crude after the U.S. blockade was lifted.

Three tankers loading Iranian crude at Kharg Island on July 7 (Credit: ESA Copernicus)   Iran-flagged Tankers Globally UANI has also monitored Iran-flagged tankers operating beyond the Persian Gulf. Since the signing of the MoU and the lifting of the U.S. blockade, 15 Iran-flagged tankers have reached the Singapore Strait bound for the Eastern Outer Port Limits (EOPL) anchorage off Johor, Malaysia. On July 7, two Iran-flagged tankers transited the Malacca and Singapore Straits, heading to the EOPL: DIAMOND II (IMO 9218478) and FELICITY (IMO 9183934).

Iran flagged tankers transiting Southeast Asian sea lanes on July 7 (Credit: Marine Traffic)   DIAMOND II and FELICITY joined the 13 tankers already presumed to be in the EOPL: DINO 1 (IMO 9569671), HEDY (IMO 9212888), DORE (IMO 9357717), SEVIN (IMO 9357353), HENNA (IMO 9212929), SILVIA I (IMO 9172052), AMBER (IMO 9357406), DORENA (IMO 9569669), SNOW (IMO 9569619) and STARLA (IMO 9569621), DIONA (IMO 9569695), HERO II (IMO 9362073) and SONIA I (IMO 9357365), which have all previously passed the Singapore Strait and have since stopped broadcasting their location on AIS.   All these Iranian tankers will most likely conduct STS transfers in the EOPL. Some may proceed to an anchorage area south of Hong Kong, where the Iranian flagged tanker HUGE (IMO 9357183) was observed in satellite imagery still loitering. It is unlikely that any will proceed directly to Chinese ports, and that would mark a significant change in operational procedure. It remains to be seen how the evolving patterns of Iran’s oil trade and dark fleet operations will change following the signing of the MoU.   Iran-Oil Laden Tankers off the Malaysian Coast On July 7, 50 tankers listed on UANI's Ghost Armada were anchored or loitering near the EOPL area with their AIS signals active, demonstrating that ghost fleet tankers continue to operate with impunity across Southeast Asia's sea lanes.   Iran-Flagged Cargo Ships Globally Despite ongoing pressure of U.S. OFAC sanctions, approximately 70 Iranian flagged vessels continue to operate openly across sea lanes, ports, and anchorages throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Since the announcement of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the lifting of the blockade, nearly all the Iranian ships outside of the Persian Gulf have begun sailing back to Iran. Meanwhile, more than 30 cargo vessels have departed Iranian ports for Asia.

Iran-flagged vessels across the Indo-Pacific on July 7 (Credit: Marine Traffic)   Five Iranian-flagged cargo ships are heading back from Asian waters to Iranian ports including, Chabahar, Bandar Abbas and Bandar-e Imam Khomeini (BIK).   Meanwhile, at least 35 Iranian-flagged cargo ships have departed Iranian waters since the MoU. The container ship FLEXI 2 (IMO 9246322) departed Novorossiysk on June 27, transited the Bosphorus, conducted cargo ops in Misrata, Libya on July 4, and departed. It is currently loitering in the vicinity of Port Said, near AYSAN (IMO 9165803), which is headed to Benghazi, Libya.   The container ship BEHTA (IMO 9349590) and general cargo ship ALVAN (IMO 9165798) are both headed north in the Red Sea, to the Suez Canal, while the container ship NYRA 2 (IMO 9241487) is in the Gulf of Aden approaching the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.    The container ship ZYRA (IMO 9237084) is sailing east in the Gulf of Aden, reporting its destination as EOPL, with an estimated arrival of July 17.   The bulk carrier VICTORIA 1 (IMO 9109550) remains Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. General Cargo ships NESHAT (IMO 9167277) and GOLSAN (IMO 9165815) are both sailing to Mombasa, Kenya, and are currently in the Arabian Sea.   Two Iranian cargo ships are in the Gulf of Kutch. The container ship ARTAM (IMO 9284154) is in port Kandla, Indian, for cargo operations, while GOLBON (IMO 9283033) remained in the anchorage. Both vessels are designated by OFAC.  Three cargo ships are transiting the Bay of Bengal eastbound, while four have passed the Six-Degree Channel, approaching the Malacca Strait. Another two cargo vessels are sailing south in the Malacca Strait toward the Singapore Strait.   Two cargo ships are loitering in the Malaysian EOPL anchorage: container ship SHABDIS (IMO 9349588) arrived from Shanghai, while the general cargo ship AREZOO (IMO 9165786) arrived from Jakarta, Indonesia.   At Port Klang, Malaysia, the Iran-flagged container ship ENZO 2 (IMO 9236652) completed cargo operations and returned to the anchorage, near SHAMIM (IMO 9270658) and SHIBA (IMO 9270646). Two other ships are enroute to Port Klang: DAISY (IMO 9270684) is sailing from Iran, with estimate arrival of July 10 and ZYRA (IMO 9237084) has an estimated arrival of July 17, and is sailing from Misrata, Libya, and the Russian Baltic, prior to that. All of these ships are sanctioned by OFAC. Iran-flagged cargo ships at Port Klang, on July 7 (Credit: Marine Traffic)   Nine cargo ships are sailing in the South China Sea and East China sea to various ports across China.    The Container ship RAYEN (IMO 9820245), which is bound for the CJK anchorage at Shanghai via the South China Sea, stopped and began reporting “Not Under Command” on AIS. It is currently drifting about 285km west of Northern Luzon, Philippines.

Iran-flagged container ship drifting in South China Sea, on July 7 (Credit: Marine Traffic)   The container ship BARZIN (IMO 9820269), which was en route to CJK anchorage near Shanghai, made a U-turn in the Taiwan Strait and is possibly heading to Zhuhai, but has not yet changed its reported destination on AIS. Iran-flagged container ship in the Taiwan Strait, on July 7 (Credit: Marine Traffic)   The container ship ABYAN (IMO 9349667) completed cargo operations in Zhuhai Container Terminal and returned to the anchorage. PARNIA (IMO 9167265) and ZARDIS (IMO 9349679) both pulled into Zhuhai container terminal for cargo operations on July 7. RAMA 3 (IMO 9303754) and BEHDOKHT (IMO 9405978) are both enroute to Zhuhai with estimated arrival of July 8. BASHT (IMO 9346536) is also enroute to Zhuhai after departing Shanghai on July 5. Iran-flagged container ships at Zhuhai, China, on July 7 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

United Against Nuclear Iran (“UANI”) is a nonprofit and non-partisan policy organization formed to combat the threats posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.  UANI depends on the generosity of its supporters. If you value what we do, please consider making a donation. Donate

Were you forwarded this email? Subscribe for yourself here.