Iraq-Bound Tanker Sails Into Gulf After Second Attempt at Hormuz

By Weilun Soon

Apr 15, 2026 (Bloomberg) –Iraq-bound supertanker Agios Fanourios I has sailed into the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on its second attempt, making it the first crude carrier to head west since a US blockade on Iran’s ports came into force.

Traffic through the chokepoint remains extremely limited. Some ships that made it through the narrow waterway and out into the Gulf of Oman as the blockade was put in place ultimately aborted their journeys and retraced their routes — including the US-sanctioned Rich Starry. The US has said six ships turned around on the first