Hormuz Strait Traffic Limited, Suspected Iraqi Supertanker Successfully Passes Through

Ship movements in the Strait of Hormuz have been monitored as limited over the past few days, amid rising geopolitical tensions in the region. Citing Bloomberg on Sunday (3/5/2026), automatic tracking data indicates that a supertanker carrying Iraqi crude oil is suspected to have crossed the Strait of Hormuz. The very large crude carrier (VLCC) named Kin A, also known as Helga, was previously detected at the Basra terminal in Iraq before heading towards the Strait of Hormuz. Satellite imagery analysis also shows the presence of a VLCC at the same mooring location in Basra as indicated by Kin A’s signal. However, the vessel’s identity cannot be confirmed from the imagery. If this movement is valid, Kin A becomes one of about a dozen non-Iranian VLCCs to cross the Strait of Hormuz since early March 2026. The operational history of Kin A has also come under scrutiny. The ship was previously known to have transported Venezuelan oil to Asia and was involved in oil storage and transshipment activities in the Riau Islands region, an area often associated with “shadow fleet” operations. Meanwhile, another similarly sized gas tanker linked to India was monitored passing in the opposite direction. Beyond these three vessels, commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz from Friday morning to Saturday afternoon remained relatively quiet. Tracking data only shows movements of small vessels related to China or Iran. This limited activity indicates that access to the Strait of Hormuz is likely granted only to specific vessels with regional affiliations or approvals. On Saturday morning, ship movements out of the Persian Gulf were still minimal. Vessels transiting with active Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals in the last 24 hours were only moving along a narrow approved route in the northern section authorised by Tehran. Several Iran-affiliated vessels were even reported detained in the Gulf of Oman. However, it cannot yet be confirmed whether this situation is due to route adjustments or the impact of a US Navy blockade positioned in the eastern outer area of the gulf.