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diplomacyMay 14, 2026

Hormuz Oil Flows Creep Higher as More Supertankers Exit

Summary

By Alex Longley, Weilun Soon and Julian Lee (Bloomberg) – The number of supertankers hauling unsanctioned oil through the Strait of Hormuz has shown signs of rising in recent days, offering limited relief to an oil market that’s suffered the largest supply disruption in history. Four ships each hauling 2 million barrels of mostly-Iraqi crude have exited since May 10 — a rate close to 2 million barrels a day — according to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Still, prior to the war, there were about 20 or so tankers of various sizes crossing the waterway daily. Oil traders are monitoring Hormuz flows closely because the blockage of the waterway has already cut about a billion barrels from global supply. While shipments from countries other than Iran have crept up, those from the Islamic Republic have slumped sharply since an American blockade. Hormuz has remained largely blocked since the war began in late February and has been subject to an international diplomatic arm wrestle ever since. Iran earlier this month laid out an updated process for ships wanting to cross Hormuz that involved dealing with a body called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority. At the same time, the US has maintained a blockade, from the edge of the Gulf of Oman, on Iranian ports. That has slowed maritime traffic in the region, though some vessels have been able to cross thanks to agreements between governments. Still, while a handful of tankers have been able to escape, it’s less clear whether they’ll be willing to return given the risks to shipping. In recent weeks, some commercial ships have crossed with their satellite signals off, meaning it’s possible the number increases down the line once those vessels re-emerge away from the Middle East. In total 38 vessels of all kinds — not just oil tankers — have crossed Hormuz in both directions over the past seven days, three times as many as in the week to May 9. Most of those tranisted without signaling until they reach the Gulf of Oman. “There’s been an increase but the levels are so low that it won’t make much of a difference,” said Georgios Sakellariou, a freight analyst at Signal Maritime. “The major issue is that even if all the tankers inside leave, new ones won’t be entering anytime soon.” Of the four supertankers that departed with their signals on, three loaded crude oil in Iraq. The other is carrying cargoes from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, the vessel tracking data show. Iran said on Thursday that it is now allowing Chinese ships to pass the Strait of Hormuz following discussions with the country’s foreign ministry. A day earlier, the supertanker Yuan Hua Hu became the third Chinese VLCC to cross the waterway. There’s been a similar trend in other markets too, with a series of very large gas carriers adding to the number of crossings in recent days. Tracking the number of ships crossing Hormuz has been complicated by the fact that some vessels have transited while switching off their satellite transponders. Last month, the boss of commodity trader Mercuria Energy Group said the company has been able to get vessels out of the waterway, but declined to elaborate on how. Middle Eastern oil companies, including Saudi Arabia Aramco Trading Co. and the UAE’s state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. have also moved crude cargoes through the waterway since it was closed, people familiar with the situation said last week. © 2026 Bloomberg L.P. Editorial Standards · Corrections · About gCaptain This article contains reporting from Bloomberg, published under license. Subscribe for Daily Maritime Insights Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update — trusted by our 106,105 members

Perspectives

Iranian Official

The Islamic Republic of Iran, in defense of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, has established the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to regulate passage and counter foreign aggression, including the illegal US blockade imposed since late February. Despite this hostile encirclement that has slashed Iranian oil exports, limited flows of mostly regional crude have resumed at rates nearing 2 million barrels daily, demonstrating Tehran’s steadfast resistance to external interference. These measures affirm Iran’s right to secure its maritime domain against imperialist disruption of global energy supplies.

Israeli

The partial easing of tanker flows through the Strait of Hormuz highlights Iran’s ongoing effort to weaponize this critical chokepoint, an existential threat that could starve global energy markets while funding Tehran’s vast proxy network of terror groups targeting Israel. The US blockade, maintained since the war began in late February, represents a necessary defensive response to Iran’s aggression, which has already removed a billion barrels from supply and enabled only limited, government-approved shipments of mostly Iraqi crude. Israel views sustained pressure on Hormuz traffic as vital to curbing Iranian revenue that sustains its regional war machine.

Neutral

According to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, four supertankers each carrying roughly 2 million barrels of mostly Iraqi crude have exited the Strait of Hormuz since May 10. Pre-conflict daily crossings through the waterway averaged around 20 tankers of various sizes, while flows from Iran have decreased amid restrictions that began in late February. Some vessels from other countries have continued to transit under government agreements, though overall volumes remain below prior levels.

Western

Western forces have maintained a precise naval blockade of Iranian ports from the Gulf of Oman, successfully neutralizing the threat of regime oil revenues by slashing sanctioned exports through the Strait of Hormuz since late February. Limited flows of non-Iranian crude, including roughly 2 million barrels per day of mostly Iraqi oil via four supertankers since May 10, reflect targeted allowances under government agreements while denying passage to Iranian shipments. This approach has already removed about one billion barrels from global supply, underscoring the blockade’s effectiveness in containing Tehran’s economic leverage.

Pro-Peace

The war that erupted in late February has kept the Strait of Hormuz largely blocked, slashing a billion barrels from global supply and driving up energy costs that fall hardest on civilians already struggling with inflation, food insecurity, and lost livelihoods across import-dependent nations. Limited tanker movements since May 10 offer scant relief while Iranian and Iraqi communities endure the economic strangulation of blockades and disrupted trade. Renewed diplomatic engagement through neutral channels, rather than military enforcement, remains the only path to avert further humanitarian fallout.

Global South

The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, imposed from the Gulf of Oman since late February, represents a neo-colonial chokehold on sovereign energy routes, slashing roughly a billion barrels from global supply and hitting Global South economies hardest while shielding Western interests. Iran’s creation of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority asserts its rightful control over maritime passage, yet Western diplomatic failures and selective enforcement have allowed only token flows—such as recent Iraqi crude shipments—past the restrictions. This institutional paralysis exposes how great-power rivalries override the sovereignty of non-aligned states navigating resource extraction and trade.

Actors involved

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Sources

  • BloombergBy Bloomberg

    By Alex Longley, Weilun Soon and Julian Lee (Bloomberg) – The number of supertankers hauling unsanctioned oil through the Strait of Hormuz has shown signs of rising in recent days, offering limited relief to an oil market that’s suffered the largest supply disruption in history. …

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