Dozens of Iran-linked Ships Slip Past US Blockade Despite Trump’s ‘Success’ Claim

Ololade Adeyanju/

At least 34 tankers linked to Iran have bypassed a United States naval blockade since it was imposed earlier this month, according to maritime analytics firm, Vortexa, raising questions about the effectiveness of the operation.

The blockade, introduced by the United States on April 13, targets vessels entering or leaving Iranian coastal waters as part of a broader effort to pressure Tehran amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Despite the restrictions, Vortexa data indicates that at least 19 Iran-linked tankers have exited the Gulf, while a further 15 have entered from the Arabian Sea.

Several of the outbound vessels were confirmed to be carrying Iranian crude oil.

The development comes even as President Donald Trump described the blockade as a “tremendous success”, insisting in a recent interview that the measures would remain in place until a final agreement is reached with Iran.

The US later expanded the scope of the blockade on April 16 to include Iranian vessels operating on the high seas, as well as ships transporting goods deemed capable of supporting Iran’s activities in the conflict, according to notices issued by the US Navy.

So far, US forces under United States Central Command have intercepted limited traffic, including the detention of a container ship in the Gulf of Oman and the boarding of a sanctioned tanker in the Indo-Pacific.

Officials also said 28 vessels had been turned back since the operation began.

However, shipping data suggests that enforcement has not fully curtailed Iran’s oil movements. At least six tankers that left Iranian waters were carrying crude estimated at about 10.7 million barrels.

Based on typical discounted pricing for sanctioned Iranian oil, analysts say this could translate to hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Among the vessels identified is the Dorena, an Iranian-flagged supertanker that reportedly navigated past the blockade with its tracking transponder switched off, a tactic often used to avoid detection.

Satellite imagery has previously shown the vessel engaging in ship-to-ship transfers, a method commonly used to obscure the origin of oil cargoes.

Other sanctioned tankers, including the Murlikishan and Alicia, were also reported to have entered the Gulf during the early days of the blockade, despite existing US restrictions.

The situation has been further complicated by Iran’s own control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route.

Tehran has insisted that vessels must obtain permission and follow designated routes set by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps before transiting the waterway.

Tensions escalated after Iranian forces reportedly fired on several vessels, including a French container ship and an Indian tanker, leading to a sharp decline in traffic through the strait.

Shipping operators have described the situation as a “double blockade”, with US enforcement measures on one side and Iranian restrictions on the other significantly disrupting maritime activity.

As a result, many vessels attempting to transit the Gulf have turned back or remain anchored in safer waters, underscoring the growing risks to global energy supply routes amid the ongoing conflict.