Strait of Hormuz movements: Three ships attempted to cross today, one of which is an Iranian cargo ship.

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There are faint signs of easing in the shipping deadlock in the Strait of Hormuz, but the situation remains highly tense.

According to Bloomberg, on Tuesday morning three vessels—two cargo ships and one fuel tanker—attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz, including an Iranian cargo ship. Meanwhile, the U.S.-Iran blockade remains ongoing. The two-week ceasefire is set to expire on Wednesday evening Washington time, and Trump has made it clear that an extension is unlikely.

This development comes at an extremely sensitive juncture. Just last Sunday, the U.S. Navy seized an Iranian cargo ship, marking its first interception since the blockade was imposed.

The movements of the Iranian cargo ship Shoja 2 are therefore closely watched by the market. Around 800 ships remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, and this world-critical energy route is essentially still at a near standstill.

Three ships have different movements, Iranian cargo ship’s signal disrupted

According to vessel tracking data, the Iranian cargo ship Shoja 2 has crossed the strait and entered the Gulf of Oman, but has now stopped broadcasting its location. The ship's whereabouts are closely monitored, as just last Sunday, the U.S. Navy seized another Iranian cargo ship—the first such action since the blockade was announced last week.

The other two vessels have no apparent connection to Iran. The Gambian-flagged general cargo ship Lian Star has crossed the strait and is currently turning south toward the Gulf of Oman. According to the Equasis database, the ship's owner and operator are registered as Mashini S Company, headquartered in Dubai, but the company is currently unreachable.

The medium tanker Ean Spir has no known owner and is sailing northeast from UAE's Ras Al Khaimah waters, currently located south of Larak Island, with its destination marked as Sohar, Oman. Ean Spir is not listed on any country's sanctions lists, and Equasis marks its flag as "unknown"—a common evasion tactic for so-called shadow fleets.

Ceasefire nears expiry, blockade stance remains firm

According to CCTV News, on April 20 local time, U.S. President Trump posted on social media that he will never lift the (Iran) blockade until an agreement is reached. He also said the U.S.-Iran two-week ceasefire agreement is unlikely to be extended. The negotiations are expected to be held in Pakistan.

This stance has made market expectations about the strait’s passage prospects more cautious. Since the ceasefire took effect, passage through the strait has remained unstable. On Saturday, at least three Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) container ships, one MSC cruise ship, and a few other passenger ships sailed out of the Persian Gulf along Omani coastlines. On Monday, two LPG carriers with Iranian ties and two product tankers—one of which is linked to Iran—successfully crossed the strait in both directions.

Shipping deadlock continues, about 800 ships stranded

Despite the sporadic attempts described above, overall passage through the Strait of Hormuz remains close to zero. The situation was chaotic at the weekend: Iran announced the channel open, but immediately closed it again after the U.S. refused to lift the blockade. About 800 ships are currently trapped in the Persian Gulf unable to leave normally.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important oil and gas transport routes, and ongoing disruptions place direct pressure on the global energy supply chain. As the ceasefire’s expiration approaches, whether U.S.-Iran negotiations achieve substantive progress will be the core variable in determining if this vital waterway can return to normal passage.

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