Topic
Iran
Every Vessel Hunter story on Iran: 65 stories, from 11 August 2026 to 14 October 2026. Newest: "US fighter jet disables bulker Ocean Molica as she tries to run the Iran blockade". Each story links to the ships and ports it names, so a name in the text opens the record behind it.
US fighter jet disables bulker Ocean Molica as she tries to run the Iran blockade
A US jet hit the stern of the bulk carrier Ocean Molica in the Gulf of Oman on 10 October, disabling her propulsion after she left an Iranian port.
IRGC says ships running dark in Hormuz will be treated as hostile after Al Maqam strike
Iran's IRGC Navy says ships crossing Hormuz with navigation systems off will be treated as hostile, after footage showed the VLCC Al Maqam on fire.
Two seafarers missing after drone hits Petro Dolphin off Sohar as IRGC widens threat
Two Indian seafarers are missing after a drone hit the tanker Petro Dolphin at Sohar anchorage on 11 October, two days after the IRGC extended its threat beyond Hormuz.
Tanker Acers hit by projectiles off Qatar as Gulf attacks spread beyond Hormuz
The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged tanker Acers was hit by multiple projectiles off Qatar on 7 October, the first strike deep inside the Gulf since 9 September.
Malaysia says it cannot police shadow fleet transfers as Iranian oil offshore runs low
Malaysia's transport minister says ship-to-ship transfers beyond port limits are outside its reach, as Iran's floating crude off Malaysia falls to about 10 million barrels.
Twelve seafarers injured as LR2 tanker On Peace is hit in the Strait of Hormuz
A projectile hit the Panama-flagged LR2 On Peace in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring 12 of her 19 crew. Oman flew ten casualties to Khasab as crew hazard pay climbs.
Goldman and Rystad See Room for $120 Brent if Hormuz Stays Disrupted
Brent is trading around $97 as traders price in prolonged disruption at the Strait of Hormuz, with analysts at Goldman Sachs and Rystad both pointing to room for $120 a barrel.
Five Hormuz incidents in one day as the new LR2 tanker Lipsi is left drifting
UKMTO reported five incidents around Hormuz on 5 October, including an engine-room fire and an IRGC order to turn back, as the new LR2 Lipsi lay disabled.
Kazimah III hit in Hormuz as tanker strikes reach six in a week and Yanbu is targeted
The Kuwaiti VLCC Kazimah III was struck in the Strait of Hormuz on 1 October, the sixth ship hit in a week, while a projectile briefly stopped tanker loading at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu.
Al Funtas and three more tankers hit in Hormuz as Gulf crude exports recover
Kuwait's VLCC Al Funtas and at least three other tankers were struck around the Strait of Hormuz in the last days of September, even as Gulf oil exports climbed back to near prewar volumes.
Maritime Briefing of 28 September 2026
Fire forces the crew off Blue Carrier 2 north of Mykonos, three blockaded VLCCs head for the US with Iranian crude, Puntland frees Sibu 1 and Iran plans to sell seized ships.
Iran says it will sell seized ships including MSC Francesca and Epaminondas as compensation
An Iranian judicial official says commercial ships seized in the war and linked to the US and Israel will be sold to compensate fishermen. MSC Francesca and Epaminondas are held off Bandar Abbas.
Three VLCCs stopped under the Iran blockade head across the Atlantic towards the US
Three VLCCs stopped by US forces under the Iran blockade, Tifani, Majestic X and Lenore, are sailing towards the United States with about six million barrels of Iranian crude.
Seafarer killed as capesize Cape Dao is struck and left adrift in Hormuz
A 26-year-old Indian wiper was killed when two projectiles hit the capesize Cape Dao off Oman's Musandam peninsula on 23 September, setting her engine room on fire and leaving her adrift.
US Sanctions the Crypto Exchange Behind Iran's Hormuz Transit Fees
OFAC has sanctioned BitBank, the cryptocurrency exchange used to process payments to the IRGC-linked HormuzSafe scheme that charges commercial vessels for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Coast Guard and FBI Boarded a VLCC Off Texas Over a Cyberattack
A Coast Guard cyber team and the FBI boarded the 319,547 dwt VL Prosperity off Texas after indications that her networks had been compromised, in an investigation covering at least two US-bound tankers.
El Gaia Crew Taken Off Disabled Tanker, Two Still Missing
Oman took 23 crew off the Panama-flagged product tanker El Gaia and is towing her in, while Iran calls the casualty a sea mine and US Central Command calls it a second strike on an already-disabled ship.
Oman Calls Off Salalah Conference on a New Strait of Hormuz Transit Corridor
Oman has cancelled the Salalah conference at which it was to present a draft Strait of Hormuz transit corridor agreed with Iran, after Gulf states declined to take part.
Iran's Hormuz Blacklist Reaches 77 Ships and Now Warns Insurers and Class Societies
Iran's self-declared Persian Gulf Strait Authority has taken its Strait of Hormuz blacklist to 77 named ships and warned insurers, P&I clubs and classification societies to stop servicing them.
Three Ships With Indian Crews Struck in Two Days Near the Strait of Hormuz
An LPG carrier and two crude tankers carrying Indian crew were hit on 8 and 9 September; all those on board survived, but 173 Indian seafarers remain on ships west of the Strait of Hormuz.
Gulf Crude Exports Pass 10m Barrels a Day on Facilitated Hormuz Transits
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is running at about 20% of its pre-conflict norm, yet Gulf crude exports have passed 10m barrels a day and VLCC rates have reached a record.
Yemen Coast Guard Stops the Tanker Nereida After a Call at Ras Isa
The Yemen Coast Guard has stopped the sanctioned product tanker Nereida after a delivery at the Houthi-controlled port of Ras Isa, saying the ship entered without permits or UN inspection.
QatarEnergy Sends an LNG Carrier Through Hormuz With Its AIS Switched On
QatarEnergy has moved the LNG carrier Al Marrouna through the Strait of Hormuz with AIS transmitting, breaking with the dark-mode navigation adopted by much of the commercial traffic there.
Iranian Tankers Ride at Anchor off Sri Lanka and Malaysia With Nowhere to Discharge
A US naval blockade of Iranian ports has left a fleet of empty tankers stranded at anchorages off Galle and east of Johore, most of them unladen and many under sanctions.
Iran Seizes a Sugar-Laden Bulk Carrier Over an Oil and Sludge Discharge in Hormuz
Iranian authorities seized a bulk carrier after images showed oil being discharged into the Strait of Hormuz, adding a pollution case to a strait Tehran already polices for transit fees.
IMO Says 400 Ships and 6,000 Seafarers Still Cannot Leave the Persian Gulf
Washington says the mines are cleared and the transit routes are open; tracking data shows a trickle of ships out and very few going back in.
US and Iran Trade Fire as Third Tanker Is Hit in Strait of Hormuz
American forces struck Iranian launchers on Larak Island and Tehran retaliated with missiles and drones, ending a month-long lull as a third tanker in a week was hit near Hormuz.
US Navy plans carrier deployments beyond seven months as Iran conflict runs on
The US Navy expects carrier strike group deployments to run beyond seven months while the conflict with Iran continues, with a supplemental funding request of $6bn to $8bn outstanding.
IMO Says 400 Ships and 6,000 Seafarers Still Cannot Leave the Gulf
The IMO says up to 400 ships carrying around 6,000 seafarers have been unable to leave the Persian Gulf safely since the conflict began.
Tanker Struck by Unknown Projectile Northwest of Musandam Peninsula
A tanker was hit by an unknown projectile northwest of the Musandam Peninsula, the latest attack on neutral shipping in the US-defended Hormuz corridor.
Washington Moves to Revive Prize Courts for Seized Merchant Vessels
The US administration is moving to revive the prize court, a tribunal for determining the legality of seizing enemy merchant vessels, untested since the Second World War.
USS Abraham Lincoln Leaves the Middle East After Record Time at Sea
The USS Abraham Lincoln has left the Middle East after almost seven months, heading for a port visit in eastern Thailand following more than 270 days at sea without a declared call.
Sanctioned Container Ship Reaches Iranian Port Despite US Blockade
An Iranian-affiliated container ship under US Treasury sanctions has reached an Iranian port despite the naval blockade, hours after Washington announced a new phase of economic pressure on Tehran.
Oman Signals Progress on Joint Hormuz Shipping Corridor With Iran
Oman's foreign minister says talks with Iran on jointly managing a Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor are advancing, with a single temporary lane expected to replace the current two-corridor system.
Iran Approves Transit Service Fees for Authorised Ships in Hormuz
Iran's parliamentary security commission has approved a schedule of service fees for vessels it authorises to transit the Strait of Hormuz, payable in rials or a currency of Tehran's choosing.
Hormuz Transits Fall to Two Vessels in a Day, Lowest Since May
Only two ships entered the Strait of Hormuz on August 24, the lowest daily count since early May, with fewer than 20 commercial vessels crossing over the weekend.
US Treasury Sets Cure Period Before Iran Banking Sanctions
Washington has signalled secondary sanctions on foreign banks working with five Iranian sectors including shipping, but is allowing a cure period for self-correction.
Iran Blacklists 45 Ships as OFAC Warns Against Hormuz Compliance
Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority has published a 45-ship non-compliance list, while Washington warns that even responding to its requests can trigger sanctions.
Iraq Secures Iranian Approval for Oil Tanker Transit Through Hormuz
Iran has granted permission for Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz following repeated requests from Baghdad, though the arrangement remains complicated.
US Night Convoys Move 10 Million Barrels a Day Through the Strait of Hormuz
US forces are escorting 15 to 20 tankers a night through the Strait of Hormuz on a southern route hugging Oman, moving around 10 million barrels of oil daily.
Iran Turns Back Chinese Tanker While Still Holding UAE Product Carrier
The IRGC says it warned off a Chinese oil tanker rather than attacking it, while continuing to detain the UAE-linked product tanker Amara near Larak Island.
UAE Suspends All Trade With Iran After Antiship Missile Strike
The United Arab Emirates has suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran after two ballistic missiles targeting maritime navigation fell in and near its territorial waters.
Chief Engineer Killed as Projectile Hits Bulker Off Oman Coast
One seafarer was killed when the Greek-managed bulker Minoan Dignity was struck by an unknown projectile half a nautical mile off Oman, at the western approach to the Strait of Hormuz.
American Helicopter Disables Cargo Ship Bound For An Iranian Port
A United States Navy helicopter fired two missiles into the engine room of a Panama-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel ignored repeated warnings and continued towards an Iranian port.
Iran's New Security Chief Hardens Line On Hormuz Arrangement
Iran's new national security chief has hardened the country's position on transit arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Bill To Bar US And Israeli Ships From Hormuz Lifts Oil Prices
Oil prices rose more than three dollars a barrel after reports that an Iranian parliament committee is reviewing a bill to bar American and Israeli vessels from the Strait of Hormuz.
Troubled shadow VLCC closes in on endgame
The 2002-built VLCC Era — formerly Marinera and Bella 1 — has reappeared under the Comoros flag with a demolition-linked manager, suggesting the much-renamed shadow-fleet tanker may be nearing its final voyage.
Iran And Oman Reach Preliminary Understanding On Hormuz Route
Iran and Oman have reached a preliminary understanding on the coordinates of a proposed shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran seeks a formal role in managing traffic.
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