US Caught Off Guard! Chinese Tanker Successfully Breaches Hormuz Strait Blockade
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - A Chinese tanker under American United States (US) sanctions reportedly succeeded in passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday (14/4/2026). The tanker’s success in breaching that crucial route occurred amid tight blockade efforts being carried out by the US military in that vital global trade pathway.
Shipping data cited by Reuters on Tuesday (14/4/2026) shows that the vessel named Rich Starry became the first recorded ship to successfully cross the strait and exit the Gulf since the US blockade began. This information was compiled based on vessel tracking data from LSEG, MarineTraffic, and Kpler, which monitor maritime traffic movements in real-time.
The Rich Starry and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, had previously been sanctioned by the US government for allegedly conducting trade transactions with Iran. As of this report, the owning company has not been reachable for an official comment regarding the blockade breach action.
The Rich Starry is a medium-range tanker currently carrying around 250,000 barrels of methanol in its hold. According to shipping manifest data, the vessel loaded that methanol cargo at its last port of call, Hamriyah Port in the United Arab Emirates.
In addition to carrying the chemical commodity cargo, this Chinese company’s tanker is known to have an all-Chinese crew. This adds a dimension of diplomatic tension, given that the vessel ignored the transit ban set by US security authorities in those waters.
Not only the Rich Starry, LSEG data also shows another US-sanctioned tanker, Murlikishan, was tracked heading towards the Strait of Hormuz on the same day. That handysize-type vessel, which is empty, is scheduled to load fuel oil in Iraq on 16 April according to Kpler data.
The Murlikishan, previously known as MKA, has a long track record in energy shipping operations in conflict areas. The vessel has been recorded transporting oil from Russia and Iran, making it a primary target in the US’s tight surveillance of the Middle East blockade.
This breach action occurs amid very high military escalation after the US and Israel launched massive airstrikes on Iran on 28 February 2026, which prompted Tehran to close the Strait of Hormuz. This led to mutual waterway blocking actions on the route connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean.
Although a two-week ceasefire agreement was reached last week to facilitate peace negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan, those talks reportedly ended in deadlock without significant progress, prompting Washington to impose a tight blockade on Iranian ports.