Three Supertankers Carrying 6 Million Barrels Exit the Strait of Hormuz After Two‑Month Standoff

At the same time, another tanker was reported to be entering the strait, suggesting that traffic—while still limited—was beginning to move again.

Which countries’ vessels were involved

Available shipping data and reporting identified at least some of the vessels involved:

• Two Chinese supertankers were among the ships leaving the Gulf with crude oil cargoes.
• Universal Winner, a South Korean‑flagged VLCC, carried roughly 2 million barrels of Kuwaiti crude that had been loaded earlier in March.

The nationality or operator of the third vessel was not clearly identified in the available reporting.

Why the Strait of Hormuz matters

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important energy chokepoints in the world. It links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is large enough for the world’s biggest crude tankers to pass through.

About 20 million barrels of oil per day—around one‑fifth of global petroleum consumption—normally flows through the strait, making any disruption a major concern for global energy markets.

The conflict and Iran’s control of the waterway

Shipping traffic through the strait had been largely blocked since late February 2026, when a major escalation between Iran and the United States and Israel triggered military strikes and retaliatory actions across the region.

During the crisis, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned ships about entering the waterway and carried out maritime enforcement operations, including threats, ship boardings, and mine deployments that severely reduced commercial traffic.

Iran later confirmed it had allowed dozens of vessels to transit, indicating that passages like the three‑tanker convoy occurred with Iranian permission rather than representing a full reopening of the route.

There is no verified evidence in the available sources describing tolls, formal fees, or a “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” governing the passage during this event.

What the tanker movement signals

The departure of the three VLCCs was widely interpreted as a possible early sign of easing tensions in the region.

Iran reported allowing 26 vessels to transit the strait that day, a notable increase compared with the extremely limited traffic seen earlier in the crisis.

However, analysts emphasized that this did not mean normal operations had returned. The tankers were still among only a small number leaving the Persian Gulf during that period.

Shipping levels vs. normal traffic

Under typical conditions, the Strait of Hormuz handles enormous volumes of oil shipments daily.

During the 2026 crisis, maritime activity plunged as shipping companies delayed voyages, insurers raised premiums, and military threats increased. Tankers waiting for weeks inside the Persian Gulf illustrated how dramatically the conflict had disrupted the flow of oil.

Even after the three ships passed through, traffic remained well below the levels usually seen through the corridor.

Impact on oil markets

Disruptions in the strait quickly affected global energy markets earlier in the conflict. Oil prices surged as traders worried that the closure could remove a large share of global supply from the market.

While the successful transit of several tankers may have eased some immediate supply concerns, the limited scale of the shipments meant the broader geopolitical risk—and potential for price volatility—remained.

The bigger picture

The passage of three supertankers carrying 6 million barrels of crude did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But it provided a signal that controlled and limited shipping might be returning after weeks of near‑paralysis in one of the world’s most vital energy routes.

As long as geopolitical tensions persist in the region, the flow of oil through Hormuz—and the stability of global energy markets—will remain highly sensitive to political and military developments.