Two fuel tankers are attempting to exit the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz by sailing close to the Iranian coast, the first vessels to try and pass through the waterway since the US announced a blockade.
The New Future, which has no clear links to Iran, and the US-sanctioned Auroura, began moving northeast early Monday from waters off the United Arab Emirates, ship-tracking data show.
The medium-range tankers appear to be taking a route just south of Iran’s Larak island, a passage that Tehran has in recent days said vessels attempting an eastward transit should follow.
President Donald Trump announced Sunday the US would begin a full blockade of the areas around the Strait of Hormuz, after talks between Tehran and Washington fell apart over the weekend. The restrictions, which apply to all vessels entering or departing Iranian ports or coastal areas, come after the Islamic Republic’s tightening grip over the vital waterway since the start of the war caused maritime traffic to plunge.
There was confusion over when the US action would start. Trump said in a social-media post the US Navy would begin the process of blockading the strait immediately, while the US military said it would commence the blockade at 10 a.m. New York time on Monday.
The ships’ progress is being closely watched as the US and Iran vie for control over the chokepoint, though which around a fifth of the world’s oil used to flow. Vessels have been targeted or attacked by Tehran in recent weeks for their links to Western countries or ownership, while Trump’s latest move is aimed at challenging the Islamic Republic’s control of the strait and depriving it of energy revenue.
The New Future is indicating that it’s headed for Sohar, an Omani port, the ship-tracking data show. It’s carrying more than 330,000 barrels of gasoil that was loaded at Hamriyah, a port in the United Arab Emirates, in early April. The vessel entered the gulf shortly before the start of war in late February.
The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel is owned and managed by Hong Kong Chuanglang Shipping, according to maritime database Equasis. A call made to Chuanglang’s listed phone number did not get through, with the operator saying it had not paid its phone bills. The company did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
The Panama-flagged Auroura is signaling that it has Indian crew on board, in what has become a commonly seen tactic that vessels use as they transit Hormuz to show their affiliations. The ship was sanctioned by the US in December for its links to the Iranian oil trade. Bloomberg News couldn’t immediately verify where the tanker had loaded its cargo from. The ship has been in the gulf since December.
Its owner is listed as Aurora Shipowners Ltd., which is based in Mumbai and shares the same address as its manager, Golden Gate Ship Management. There were no contact details listed for either company.
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Published on April 13, 2026