Reports: At Least Five Tankers Crossed the Strait of Hormuz; U.S. Denies a Blockade Breach

"Bloomberg" reported this afternoon (Tuesday) that Tehran is considering a temporary halt to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The stated reason: to help advance possible talks with the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump told the "New York Post" this evening that further negotiations with Iran "could happen in the next two days".

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that since the start of the naval blockade at least five tankers have passed through the strait. One of them was identified as belonging to a Chinese company under U.S. sanctions. Two additional ships departed Iranian ports and made their way to Gulf states.

The U.S. military issued a statement saying that in the blockade it is enforcing against Iran, more than 10,000 American troops, warships, and dozens of aircraft are carrying out the mission of preventing ships from entering and exiting Iranian ports. According to the Americans, "During the first 24 hours, no ship crossed the American blockade, and six vessels complied with the directives".

Reuters reported that according to data from Kpler and MarineTraffic, which track oil data in real time and analyze ship movements and commodity flows, a Chinese vessel crossed the waterway today after circling the area late Monday.

The tanker "Rich Starry", owned by Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, had previously been sanctioned by the United States for carrying Iranian crude oil. According to the data provided by the two firms, it is a tanker carrying about 250,000 barrels of methanol that loaded its cargo at its last port of call in the town of Hamriyah in the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

Also, a tanker linked to Iran entered the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker "Murlikishan" is heading to Iraq to load liquid fuel. The vessel, formerly known as "MKA", carries Russian and Iranian oil.

In addition, the tanker "Peace Gulf" is on its way to the port of Hamriyah in the United Arab Emirates. The vessel typically transports Iranian naphtha to other, non-Iranian ports in the Middle East.

Kpler said the ship "Christianna", which flies the Liberian flag, crossed the strait after unloading corn at Iran's Bandar Imam Khomeini port. Another ship, the tanker "Elpis", which sails under the Comoros flag, crossed Hormuz about two hours after the blockade began.