Three crude oil tankers have now exited the Strait of Hormuz with their tracking systems switched off, according to new shipping data, showing how energy exporters are trying to keep cargo moving through the Iran crisis even as diplomacy stalls.
Reuters reported Monday that the very large crude carriers Agios Fanourios I and Kiara M passed out of the strait on Sunday while carrying about 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude each. A third vessel, Basrah Energy, had exited the strait earlier after loading 2 million barrels of Upper Zakum crude from Abu Dhabi National Oil Co’s Zirku terminal, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters.
The ships’ movements matter because the Strait of Hormuz remains the pressure point at the center of the Iran war. Before the conflict, the waterway carried roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Now, tankers are increasingly relying on dark or reduced-visibility transit tactics to reduce the risk of Iranian targeting while still moving crude out of the Gulf.
The new angle is the shipping workaround
The latest development is not simply that Hormuz remains dangerous. That has been clear for weeks. The new angle is that crude is still getting out, but in a more opaque and risk-heavy way.
Reuters said the tankers moved with trackers switched off to avoid Iranian attacks, citing shipping data from Kpler and LSEG. The Agios Fanourios I is reportedly headed to Vietnam’s Nghi Son refinery after earlier failed attempts to pass through the strait. The destination of the Kiara M was not immediately clear. The Basrah Energy reportedly discharged its cargo at Fujairah after leaving Hormuz on May 6.
Automatic Identification System transponders are meant to help ships broadcast position and identity for maritime safety. When large commercial vessels go dark in a chokepoint as crowded and politically charged as Hormuz, it can reduce their visibility to hostile forces, but it also makes navigation, insurance, and naval deconfliction harder.
Diplomacy is still stuck after Trump rejected Iran’s reply
The tanker movements came as the diplomatic track hit another wall. PBS NewsHour, citing the Associated Press, reported that Iran sent its response to the latest U.S. proposal through Pakistani mediators on Sunday, only for President Donald Trump to call it “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” in a social media post.
According to PBS/AP, Iranian state television said Tehran rejected the U.S. plan as a demand for surrender and instead insisted on war reparations from the United States, full Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, an end to sanctions, and the release of seized Iranian assets.
Al Jazeera reported that an Iranian source described Tehran’s answer as focused on ending the war across the region, including Lebanon, while also addressing Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program, and sanctions relief. Reuters reported that Iran’s response also demanded an end to the U.S. naval blockade and guarantees against further attacks.
Why dark tanker movements raise the risk
For oil markets, the signal is mixed. The fact that tankers are moving suggests Gulf producers and buyers are finding ways to prevent a total export freeze. But the method also shows how far the normal shipping system has degraded.
Dark transit can become a short-term workaround, not a stable solution. It raises the chance of misidentification, accidental encounters, insurance disputes, and military miscalculation. It also makes it harder for governments and markets to know how much crude is actually moving through the strait in real time.
That uncertainty is already showing up in energy prices. A separate Reuters report said Brent crude rose more than $4 a barrel Monday after Trump rejected Iran’s response, with traders worried that the Strait of Hormuz would remain largely closed and the global market tight.
The crisis is spreading beyond oil
The Hormuz risk is also no longer confined to crude tankers. PBS/AP reported that the United Arab Emirates said it shot down two drones and blamed Iran, while Qatar condemned a drone attack that hit a cargo ship in its waters. Kuwait also said its air defenses responded to hostile drones entering its airspace, though it did not identify their origin.
Those incidents underline why tanker operators are acting cautiously. Even if a vessel has permission, escort, or a commercial reason to move, the operating environment is now defined by drones, naval blockades, failed diplomacy, and threats against ships tied to U.S. or allied pressure on Iran.
What to watch next
The immediate question is whether more tankers attempt similar low-visibility transits. If the pattern expands, it would suggest a quiet shipping corridor is emerging despite Iran’s pressure campaign. If Iran challenges or attacks one of these vessels, the crisis could snap back into direct military escalation.
The second question is whether Washington and Tehran return to talks after Trump’s rejection. For now, the latest tanker data shows the practical reality of the crisis: Hormuz is not fully closed, but the normal rules of commercial shipping are being bent under wartime pressure.
Sources: Reuters, PBS NewsHour/AP, Al Jazeera.