Ship Testing Hormuz Blockade Appears to Transit Then U-Turn

Article content(Bloomberg) — A US-sanctioned tanker linked to China that was being watched as one of the first vessels to test President Donald Trump’s naval blockade appeared to U-turn after sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz. Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentRich Starry appeared to transit Hormuz in the early hours of Tuesday morning, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Later in the day, after completing the crossing, it turned around in the Gulf of Oman, the data show. The vessel was blacklisted by Washington in 2023 for helping Tehran evade energy sanctions. Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentShipowners, energy traders and investors across financial markets have been keenly following its route through Hormuz as they try to understand the latest US effort to pressure Tehran and curb its oil revenues — and how it will work in practice. Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentWhile there’s been elevated scrutiny on visible transits through Hormuz, it has been tricky to accurately monitor them due to a combination of signal jamming and spoofing. Rich Starry has a history of spoofing its satellite signals, according to TankerTrackers.com Inc., which monitors vessels using satellite data. Article contentThe US is blockading the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, lying in wait for Iranian vessels that try to sail out of the Persian Gulf.Article contentIt’s not the first time the Rich Starry has turned around. On a first exit attempt on Monday the ship appeared to u-turn near Hormuz before restarting its transit several hours later. Article content“The real issue is not simply whether ships can pass through Hormuz, but what spectrum of enforcement options US warships apply, and where they choose to apply them,” said Charlie Brown, an advisor to United Against Nuclear Iran, a US lobby and pressure group focused on Tehran.Article contentArticle contentAfter the U-turn, the ship’s destination was listed as “for orders”. Prior to the switch it had variously signaled, the Omani port of Sohar and Chinese ownership and crew, and — again — for orders. Article contentAnother tanker, the Elpis, was in the strait and headed into the Gulf of Oman just as the blockade began. It appears to have stopped out of the narrow waterway and off the Iranian coast. Ship-tracking platforms Kpler and Vortexa indicate that Elpis had docked at an Iranian port in the gulf before attempting to pass through Hormuz, meaning it could be a potential target for a patrolling US navy vessel.Article contentElpis paused its journey at roughly the same location that Rich Starry turned around, although it hasn’t broadcast a signal for several hours, meaning its possible it could have carried on its journey or turned back.Article content(Updates with additonal details throughout.)Article contentTrending Forcing people to pay a moral tax if they leave the country won't inspire them to stay Personal Finance Posthaste: Canadian dollar is being dumped from FX reserves at a record pace. What's going on? 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