The lack of activity at Kharg Island adds to a logjam of at least 50 tankers carrying crude, petroleum products, and liquefied petroleum gas that have been backed up along the Iranian coast for two months. A US naval blockade has also stranded 20 empty Iran-flagged vessels off the coast of Sri Lanka and one off Oman, preventing their return to the Persian Gulf.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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US Blockade Halts Oil Loading at Iran's Kharg Island
Commodities14 days ago
Sixteen laden vessels were anchored near Iran's primary oil export hub on October 5, including 11 to the east and 5 to the south of the facility. Ship-tracking data from United Against Nuclear Iran indicates that no tankers loaded new cargo at Kharg Island on that date, signaling a standstill in shipments from the port.
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