A supertanker loaded with two million barrels of Iranian crude passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, according to ship movements tracked and released on Tuesday. Tracking services identified the vessel as Cuma, a ship flagged in Guyana, and noted that it appears on a U.S. sanctions list.
Data provided by Lloyd's List Intelligence and Kpler indicate that the Cuma was listed with China as its intended destination. The shipment contributes to a sequence of movements from Iran through the strategically important waterway: it represents the sixth oil tanker transit recorded since February 28.
Estimates derived from ship tracking for the five vessels preceding the Cuma suggest they transported at least 11 million barrels of crude oil to Asian destinations during the same interval. In addition to crude, recent days have seen Iran move gas and refined oil product cargoes through the Strait of Hormuz.
These maritime flows have persisted since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, according to the tracking records. The continued movement of crude, gas and product shipments through the strait has been documented by the cited ship-tracking services.
Context and market relevance
While the tracking data do not provide details beyond vessel identification, flag, sanction status and listed destination, the sequence of transits highlights the continued physical flow of Iranian energy shipments through a key maritime chokepoint. The documented passages include crude oil tankers as well as gas and oil product cargoes, all recorded during the period beginning February 28.
Key points
- The supertanker Cuma, flagged in Guyana and listed on U.S. sanctions, moved two million barrels of Iranian crude through the Strait of Hormuz.
- This transit is the sixth recorded Iranian oil tanker passage since February 28; the prior five vessels are estimated to have carried at least 11 million barrels to Asia.
- Ship-tracking services also recorded gas and oil product cargoes transiting the waterway; these flows have continued since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28.
Risks and uncertainties
- Ongoing regional military actions and the fact that these transits have taken place since U.S.-Israeli strikes began on February 28 introduce geopolitical uncertainty affecting maritime routes and energy flows.
- Reliance on ship-tracking estimates means volumes and destinations are subject to the limitations and accuracy of the tracking data cited.
- Continued shipments through a strategic chokepoint could affect sectors tied to energy supply and shipping logistics; the exact market impact is not specified by the tracking records.
The information in this report is drawn from vessel movement data released by ship-tracking services and aggregated by the named intelligence providers. The tracking records form the basis for the counts of transits, the vessel identity, flag state, listed destination and the observation that shipments continued following the strikes noted to have begun on February 28.