Blockade Heats Up, Traffic in Strait of Hormuz Nearly Paralyzed

Shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has almost completely stopped. The blockade imposed by Iran and the United States (US) continues without signs of easing, leaving the world’s vital shipping lane nearly devoid of activity. Citing Bloomberg on Sunday (26/4/2026), the deadlock persists amid Iran-US peace efforts. US President Donald Trump cancelled plans for his envoy’s visit to Islamabad, Pakistan, stating that Iran had “offered much, but not enough”. On the other hand, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed that his country would not engage in “negotiations forced under threats or blockades”. He also assessed that trust cannot be restored without halting hostile actions. Meanwhile, from the opposite direction, only one small chemical and oil product tanker passed through. The waters have been practically empty since last week, following Iranian patrol boats firing on vessels and the US military intercepting several ships linked to Tehran. Although distribution is hampered, Iran continues to load supertankers with millions of barrels of crude oil. Satellite imagery near Kharg Island shows two giant tankers docked at the terminal, with at least 19 other vessels anchored nearby. Several ships are also seen gathering near Chabahar, close to the Pakistan border. This situation arises because the US Navy is preventing Iran-linked vessels from exiting the Gulf of Oman. The US has also intensified pressure by imposing sanctions on Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co., one of China’s largest private refineries, for purchasing oil from Iran. This move is part of broader efforts to isolate Iran’s oil buyers. China has long been the main importer of oil from the country. Since Saturday morning, vessels exiting the Persian Gulf consist only of three small oil tankers, one LPG tanker, two bulk carriers, and two small coastal cargo ships. Two of the tankers that passed through are now anchored off the coast of Oman near Shinas. The other was last seen exiting the strait on Sunday morning, with its destination unknown. For incoming vessels, only one small chemical/oil product tanker and two coastal cargo ships have been detected. The tanker passed near Qeshm Island and is heading to Hamriyah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).