A U.S.-sanctioned tanker with a Chinese crew successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, marking a high-stakes encounter with President Trump’s newly enacted naval blockade. The vessel, the Rich Starry, managed to enter the Gulf of Oman on its second attempt, according to shipping data provided by Kpler and marinetraffic.com.
The incident occurred just hours after the blockade officially commenced on Monday morning. Under the new policy, the U.S. military is tasked with blocking Iranian ports and intercepting any vessels that have paid transit tolls to the Iranian government.
President Trump announced the move following the collapse of weekend negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials, stating that Tehran refused to meet U.S. demands regarding nuclear enrichment and other regional issues.
U.S. Central Command confirmed the scale of the operation, noting that more than 10,000 U.S. Sailors, Marines, and Airmen, along with over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft, are currently executing the mission.
According to Central Command, the blockade is being enforced “impartially against vessels of all nations” entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas. During the first 24 hours of the operation, military officials stated that six merchant vessels complied with orders to turn around, reporting that no ships successfully entered or departed Iranian ports during that window.
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While the Rich Starry and another sanctioned vessel, the Murlikishan, were tracked passing through the trading corridor, U.S. Central Command clarified in a statement on X that the ships were not violating the rules of the blockade because they did not come from an Iranian port.
On Tuesday, two additional Chinese oil tankers appeared to traverse the strait, though one reportedly stopped and turned around after crossing. The military’s statement did not specify whether sanctioned ships would be stopped for reasons unrelated to their port of origin.
The Rich Starry is currently carrying approximately 250,000 barrels of methanol. While the ship flies the flag of Malawi, the African nation has stated it maintains no official registration for the vessel.
The tanker and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Company Limited, were sanctioned by the United States in 2023 for prior dealings with Iran. Central Command emphasized that U.S. forces continue to support “freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”
Simultaneously, the Murlikishan is positioned in the Persian Gulf and is scheduled to load fuel in Iraq on April 16. The vessel flies a Madagascar flag.
The implementation of the blockade follows a period of heightened energy costs fueled by Iranian counterstrikes and the temporary closure of the strait. During a recent ceasefire, Iran attempted to collect tolls from oil-carrying vessels, a practice the Trump administration labeled as “extortion.”
In a statement posted to Truth Social on Sunday, President Trump directed the Navy to “seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran.” He further warned that the U.S. military is “fully ‘LOCKED AND LOADED’” and prepared to “finish up the little that is left of Iran” if the situation escalates.
Despite the heightened military presence, diplomatic channels remain open. Reports indicate that international efforts are underway to organize a second round of talks between the two nations as early as this week.
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