The empty Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) RHN entered the Gulf on Wednesday (April 15, 2026), data from LSEG and Kpler showed. (Representational image)
| Photo Credit: Reuters
A second U.S.-sanctioned supertanker has entered the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, shipping data showed, despite a U.S. blockade on vessels visiting Iranian ports. U.S. President Donald Trump announced the blockade on Sunday (April 12, 2026) after weekend peace talks in Islamabad between the U.S. and Iran failed to reach a deal.
The U.S. Central Command said on X that 10 vessels have been turned around and no ships have broken through since the start of the blockade on Monday (April 13, 2026).
Still, Iran’s Fars News Agency said on Wednesday (April 15, 2026) that an Iranian supertanker subject to U.S. sanctions crossed the strait towards Iran’s Imam Khomeini port despite the blockade. Fars did not identify the tanker or give further details of its voyage.
Published – April 16, 2026 09:15 am IST
