A Malawi-flagged tanker owned by a Chinese company has reportedly passed through the Strait of Hormuz despite an ongoing United States blockade targeting Iranian-linked shipping. The vessel, named Rich Starry, is owned by Full Star Shipping Ltd, which is connected to Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd.

It has been under US sanctions since 2023 due to alleged ties to Iran. Prior to April 2023, the ship sailed under the Hong Kong flag, according to MarineTraffic data cited by CNN.

The tanker initially attempted to transit the Strait around noon UTC on Monday but turned back near Iran’s Qeshm Island. Later in the evening, it made a second attempt and by early Tuesday UTC appeared to have successfully passed through the waterway.

CNN reported that it could not independently confirm the vessel’s departure port. Maritime analytics firm Kpler indicated that the tanker was carrying methanol and was reportedly bound for China.

Another vessel, the Elpis, registered in Comoros, also passed through the strategic chokepoint on Monday after the blockade took effect. This tanker was partially laden and had been sanctioned by the United States in 2025 for transporting Iranian petroleum as part of what Washington describes as Iran’s “shadow fleet.”

The United States Navy is maintaining a presence of at least 15 ships in the Middle East region, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and 11 destroyers. These assets could potentially take part in a maritime blockade of Iran’s ports, according to a US official, following orders from President Donald Trump.

However, it remains unclear which specific vessels are positioned or designated for participation in the blockade, as assessments suggest that the naval assets are widely dispersed across the US Central Command’s area of operations.

The deployed fleet includes the USS Abraham Lincoln and destroyers USS Bainbridge, USS Thomas Hudner, USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., USS Delbert D. Black, USS John Finn, USS Michael Murphy, USS Mitscher, USS Pinckney, USS Rafael Peralta, USS Spruance and USS Milius. In addition, the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, comprising USS Tripoli, USS New Orleans and USS Rushmore, is also deployed in the region.

The naval formation is accompanied by multiple support and escort vessels. However, it would need to transit either through the Suez Canal or exit the Mediterranean Sea and sail around Africa before reaching a position suitable to support blockade operations.

The US president imposed the naval blockade on Iranian ports after marathon talks in Pakistan over the weekend failed to yield any agreement.

Agencies