Nearly 20% of Strait of Hormuz traffic is sanctioned ships linked to Iran, data show

Maritime tracking data suggests traffic is returning to the Strait of Hormuz, but a notable share of crossings still involves sanctioned vessels tied to Iran and other sanctioned oil networks.

A new traffic snapshot reported on June 24 showed 48 confirmed Strait of Hormuz crossings on a recent Monday, including nine previously sanctioned ships. That means nearly 20% of the monitored crossings in the sample were vessels already under sanctions scrutiny.

The ships were described as being associated with oil movements tied to Iran, Russia and Venezuela. The report said at least five of the sanctioned vessels carried up to 4 million barrels of oil.

Traffic is recovering, but the reopening is incomplete

The latest data builds on earlier reporting that ship transits had started resuming after a U.S.-Iran interim agreement. But the waterway has not returned to normal operations.

Associated Press reported on June 18 that ships had begun transiting the strait after 110 days, and that two sanctioned Iranian tankers were among the vessels moving through. AP also said roughly 550 merchant ships were preparing to exit the Persian Gulf.

AP said the strait’s central route remained constrained by about 80 naval mines, underscoring that the reopening was only partial. The operational picture remained fragile even as traffic restarted.

Ships waited outside the Gulf

Financial Times later reported on June 22 that 441 tanker-sized vessels were clustered off Sohar and Fujairah while operators waited for a fuller reopening of the route.

That congestion showed how many shipping companies were still holding back from a full return to normal routing, even as some traffic moved through the chokepoint again.

Diplomatic uncertainty remains

AP reported on June 23 that U.S. and Iranian officials were still disputing details of the broader deal, even as planning continued to move stranded ships and thousands of crew members through the Strait of Hormuz.

The New York Post reported on June 24 that more than 30 Iranian-linked tankers had passed through the waterway since a June 17 memorandum of understanding. It said the traffic count came from maritime tracking data and that the latest crossings included vessels linked to Iran, Russia and Venezuela.

What remains unclear is whether the movement of sanctioned vessels is being tolerated under the interim understanding or is simply occurring despite sanctions exposure. The reporting does not fully reconcile how transit rules, enforcement and any toll or inspection terms are being applied.

Why the numbers matter

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, so even partial reopening affects oil and gas flows, shipping routes and insurance risk.

A high share of sanctioned vessels moving through the corridor suggests sanctioned oil networks may still be using the route, even as regular traffic returns.

The main next questions are whether the sanctioned-ship share remains elevated as traffic normalizes, whether officials clarify the deal terms, and whether the central channel reopens fully.