Three vessels with ties to Iran successfully navigated through the critical Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, marking the initial complete day of newly implemented US maritime restrictions targeting ships that dock at Iranian facilities, according to shipping tracking information.
The maritime restrictions were announced by President Donald Trump on Sunday following unsuccessful diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran that took place over the weekend in Islamabad.
The three ships traveling through the strategic waterway avoided falling under the restrictions because their destinations were not Iranian ports.
Shipping data revealed that the Panama-registered vessel Peace Gulf, classified as a medium-range tanker, was bound for Hamriyah port located in the United Arab Emirates.
According to tracking information, this particular vessel regularly transports Iranian naphtha, which serves as petrochemical raw material, to various Middle Eastern ports outside Iran before being shipped to Asian markets.
Two additional tankers that have been placed under US sanctions also made passage through the narrow maritime corridor.
The smaller tanker Murlikishan was traveling toward Iraq with plans to take on fuel oil cargo on April 16, tracking data indicated. This vessel, previously called MKA, has a history of carrying oil from both Russian and Iranian sources.
A second sanctioned vessel, Rich Starry, became the first ship to successfully transit the strait and depart the Gulf region since the maritime restrictions took effect, according to multiple shipping databases.
US authorities have imposed sanctions on both the Rich Starry tanker and its operating company, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, due to their business dealings with Iran. Attempts to contact the company for a response were unsuccessful.
The Rich Starry, also a medium-range tanker, was transporting approximately 250,000 barrels of methanol, the data showed. The vessel had loaded this cargo during its previous stop at Hamriyah in the UAE.
Shipping records indicated that the Chinese-owned tanker was operating with a Chinese crew aboard.
China’s foreign ministry responded on Tuesday by characterizing the US restrictions on Iranian ports as “dangerous and irresponsible,” cautioning that such actions would only heighten regional tensions. Officials did not address whether Chinese vessels were transiting through the strait.
