The Week in Charts: Iran-linked vessels continue to transit Hormuz despite US blockade | US claims right to seize Iran-linked vessels anywhere beyond neutral waters
- At least eight vessels had crossed the US blockade line by Thursday last week despite the announcement of the US blockade
- US Navy claims right to board and seize Iran-linked vessels anywhere on open seas, not just within blockade zone
- UN warns of an ‘agrifood catastrophe’ as fertiliser shipments stall in the Strait of Hormuz
Lloyd’s List’s weekly showing of the data and figures behind our news, analysis and markets coverage
AT LEAST eight vessels had transited the Strait of Hormuz westbound by Thursday last week heading for Iranian ports or to load Iranian cargo, despite the US blockade coming into force, wrote senior reporters Ece Göksedef and Joshua Minchin.
Two Iranian shadow fleet* crude oil tankers, Alicia (IMO: 9281695) and RHN (IMO: 9208215), transited the strait in ballast on April 14 and 15 respectively.
Both vessels were signalling “for orders” as their destination on Automatic Identification Systems, which is a method commonly used by shadow fleet vessels to help hide a final port of call. Both tankers are sanctioned and have a history of loading Iranian cargo, according to Vortexa data.
US claims right to seize Iran-linked vessels anywhere beyond neutral waters
The US Navy issued an updated advisory that significantly broadens the scope of its naval blockade of Iran, asserting the right to board and seize Iran-linked vessels regardless of their location on the open seas, wrote reporter Peter Guo.
The accompanying contraband list is so expansive that it effectively constitutes a total maritime embargo on the Iranian economy.
The updated guidance, published on April 16 by the US Central Command, comes days after the navy began enforcing the blockade on April 13. The blockade initially applied to the entire Iranian coastline, including all ports and oil terminals.
UN body warns of ‘agrifood catastrophe’ amid fertiliser shortage
Oil shortages dominate the headlines surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, but the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FOA) has warned of inflated food prices if fertiliser does not start to move through the chokepoint more freely, wrote senior reporter Joshua Minchin.
FAO chief economist Maximo Torero said the “clock was ticking” and warned that poorer countries were most at risk of scarce and expensive fertiliser as a result of the disruption in the Middle East Gulf.
Between 20%-45% of key agrifood energy inputs move through the Strait of Hormuz, the FAO said, with around a third of global fertiliser relying on passage through the chokepoint too.
