Hormuz Strait Shipping at Near Standstill as Sole Sanctioned Oil Tanker Dares to Pass

BlockBeats News, March 6th. Due to escalating Middle East tensions, maritime activity in the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted. Vessel tracking data shows that no oil tankers passed through the strait in the past 24 hours, with only two general cargo ships transiting.

Reports indicate that a liquefied gas supertanker, Danuta I, sanctioned by the US for transporting Iranian liquefied petroleum gas, crossed the strait in the early hours of Friday local time, becoming one of the few vessels to navigate the waterway recently. Data shows that the ship loaded cargo in the Persian Gulf before departing and experienced AIS signal abnormalities or transponder shutdowns during its voyage, potentially indicating an attempt to evade tracking by concealing its route.

Little information is available about the Panama-based shipowner, Ithaki Maritime and Trading, believed to be associated with a "shadow fleet." Analysts suggest that following Danuta I's successful passage, more sanctioned or shadow fleet tankers may risk crossing the strait in the future.

The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) based in Bahrain stated that due to heightened regional conflicts, dozens of oil and gas-laden tankers are currently stranded in the Persian Gulf, significantly impacting energy transportation to Asia and Europe. Meanwhile, frequent ship attacks continue in the waters near the strait, coupled with reduced war risk insurance coverage, leading commercial shippers to generally avoid risky transits.