Three Iranian-linked oil tankers carrying nearly five million barrels of crude oil have exited a US Navy blockade perimeter in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first outbound shipments from Iran in months as shipping companies cautiously prepare for a possible reopening of the strategic waterway.
The movement of the vessels comes ahead of an expected US-Iran agreement signing in Geneva on Friday, which could ease restrictions on Iranian oil exports and reopen one of the world’s most important energy routes.
Shipping data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler showed that two sanctioned Iranian supertankers, Diona and Hero 2, both owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company, passed through the blockade area carrying a combined 3.8 million barrels of Iranian crude.
A third Iran-linked tanker carrying about one million barrels of oil also exited the blockade line on Wednesday, according to Kpler data.
Michelle Wiese Bockmann, senior maritime intelligence analyst at Windward, said the departure of the vessels suggested other Iranian-linked tankers could soon begin preparing to resume international trading.
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“Their apparent departure from the blockade suggests that other Iranian-trading tankers are also preparing to resume trading,” she said.
The developments follow the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran on Monday aimed at ending their nearly four-month conflict.
The agreement, details of which have not been publicly released, is expected to include measures to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and allow Iran to resume oil sales under certain conditions.
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The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington would permit Tehran to immediately restart oil and fuel exports once the deal is signed, in exchange for commitments by Iran to restrict its nuclear programme.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy route, with around one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passing through the waterway before the conflict disrupted shipping activity.
During the crisis, the US Navy imposed a blockade around Iranian ports, while Iran targeted vessels linked to countries it considered hostile, leaving hundreds of ships stranded and disrupting global energy flows.
The prospect of reopening the route has prompted some shipping companies to begin repositioning vessels toward Gulf ports in anticipation of increased demand, although many operators remain cautious.
“The maritime sector is treating the news with something closer to wary disbelief than celebration,” Lloyd’s List Intelligence said.
Shipping insurers have also maintained high war-risk premiums, saying they require clear evidence that the waterway will be safe before normal operations resume.
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“While a pause in hostilities will free stranded mariners and boost tanker and bulk markets, the sector sees this as a fragile reprieve rather than a return to normality,” Lloyd’s analysts said.
Some owners of very large crude carriers (VLCCs) are moving vessels toward the Middle East Gulf to gain an early advantage if trade resumes, while others are waiting for further confirmation.
Maritime intelligence data from Windward showed dozens of VLCCs travelling from the South China Sea and across the Indian Ocean towards ports in the United Arab Emirates, where at least 30 ships were already waiting.
However, shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to remain limited until the agreement is formally signed.
Tim Wilkins, managing director of Intertanko, an association representing independent tanker operators, said the US Navy had warned the industry that conditions remained unchanged until the deal was completed.
Kpler estimates that around 118 loaded tankers could leave the region within 15 days of a successful agreement, although analysts expect the initial movement to represent a release of stranded vessels rather than a full return to normal shipping levels.
Niels Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst at BIMCO, said most shipowners were waiting for more details before committing vessels to new routes.
“They will seek reassurance that transits are not only permitted but also safe before sending their ships through the strait,” he said.
For global energy markets, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could ease supply concerns and reduce pressure on oil prices, but shipping operators remain focused on whether the agreement will deliver lasting security in the region.
