Two Supertankers U-Turn in Hormuz as US-Iran Talks Break Down
Two empty supertankers tried to enter the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf on Sunday but made last-minute U-turns as US-Iran peace talks collapsed, threatening a fragile ceasefire.
Ship-tracking data show three very large crude carriers with no direct Iran links approached the narrow waterway from the Gulf of Oman late Saturday, reaching near Iran’s Larak Island early Sunday. At this checkpoint, Iraq-bound Agios Fanourios I and Pakistan-flagged Shalamar, headed for Das Island in the UAE, turned back. A third VLCC, Mombasa B, passed between Larak and Qeshm Islands along an Iran-approved route into the Persian Gulf, though its destination is unclear.
The reasons for the reversals and the third ship’s passage are unclear, though Iraq and Pakistan had prior Iranian approval to transit. The change came as negotiators in Islamabad said they had failed to reach a deal.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key global energy chokepoint. Its effective closure since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began six weeks ago has disrupted supply, and reopening it remains a disputed point in negotiations.
In recent weeks, several vessels have attempted the passage and aborted due to shifting security conditions and high risk. Most ships have been exiting the Persian Gulf, though empty tankers are also needed to enter for new cargoes. Two Chinese container ships U-turned last month before later exiting successfully, and a liquefied natural gas carrier turned back last week.
On Saturday, two Chinese supertankers and a Greek vessel exited the gulf via Hormuz carrying crude, marking a recent increase in transits after Iran-linked dominance since late February.
Agios Fanourios I is managed by Eastern Mediterranean Maritime in Greece, and Shalamar is owned by Pakistan National Shipping Corp. Neither responded to requests for comment.
Mombasa B, formerly Front Forth, is owned by Haut Brion 8 SA, which shares an address with its South Korea-based manager Sinokor Maritime Co., which also did not respond to requests for comment.
