At least 10 empty very large crude carriers and several Suezmax tankers approaching Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates have stopped or reversed course in recent days, Bloomberg tanker tracking data show. The port serves as a staging point where larger vessels receive crude from shuttle tankers that cross the Strait of Hormuz. A sustained retreat could leave fewer ships available to receive that oil, keeping shuttle tankers occupied longer and slowing exports. Other vessels are still entering the region.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Monday it struck and set fire to a third supertanker in the strait within two days, claiming the vessel had disabled its navigation system and ignored warnings. The reported strike has not been independently verified. Oil flows have continued despite the attacks: analyst Rory Johnston said Sunday that more than 10 million BPD had cleared the strait over the preceding few days, though attacks appeared to be slowing and partly reversing the recovery in shipments.