Three ships slip past U.S. and Iranian blockades in Strait of Hormuz

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which oil and petrochemicals are exported to the global market, was at a standstill Tuesday, except for three vessels that appeared to have broken through the U.S. and Iranian blockades. 

An Iranian-flagged cargo vessel sailed through the strait and into the Gulf of Oman, Bloomberg reported. The ship was in the waters off the coast of the United Arab Emirates Monday evening. 

Two other vessels – one flagged to Gambia and another with no clear owner – also made it through the blockades. Roughly 800 vessels remain in the Persian Gulf. 

According to Lloyd's List intelligence, 26 Iranian shadow fleet vessels have slipped through the U.S. blockade in the past week, including 11 tanks carrying Iranian cargo.