ABNA24 - Iran has managed to break through the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Ample data now shows that numerous ships have slipped past US’s so-called maritime siege on Iran. On Monday, for instance, media reports said that an Iranian tanker, which is subject to US sanctions and spotted off the coast of India just two weeks ago, has now docked at Kharg Island. The vessel, said to be carrying LNG, reportedly evaded detection, pierced the US blockade line, and entered Iranian waters.
On Monday, TankerTrackers, the company helping the US track oil shipments, announced that three Iranian oil tankers broke the US blockade with three different tactic, giving Tehran more time on the negotiating table with Washington. TankerTrackers says, the tanker that that loaded LPG two days ago is now in the Iranian waters.
As tensions escalated in the region, the US announced a plan to reduce Iran's oil exports and to hit its revenue sources, a goal driving its sea operations and missions to search ships sailing out of the Persian Gulf. However, reports indicate that this campaign of pressure has not been fully effective and Iran, using its "shadow fleet", has bypassed part of the restrictions imposed by the US.
Futile blockade
Iran’s ability to bypass the US naval blockade shows that American maritime sanctions have failed to fully choke off the country’s sea trade. By building a complex maritime transport network, Tehran has managed to neutralize at least some of the pressure. Many experts now believe the confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz is no longer just about military or political power, it has evolved into a sophisticated battle over naval surveillance and tracking. So far in that contest, Iran has proven largely capable of staying ahead.
How is iran breaking through American blockade?
For many, the big question looks like this: How exactly has Iran managed to break through the US naval blockade? According to a recent report by Al Jazeera, the answer lies in a combination of fake flags, shell companies, and switched-off tracking systems, all of which have allowed a vast network of ships to slip past the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Al Jazeera reports that this so-called shadow fleet has successfully evaded some of the pressure from US sanctions and maritime restrictions by concealing ships’ identities and routes.
The report outlines several key tactics used by vessels linked to this network, including:
- Changing flags to those of different countries, sometimes small or landlocked nations
- Setting up shell companies to hide true ownership
- Disabling automatic identification systems (AIS) or transmitting false data
- Constantly altering shipping routes to avoid detection
These measures have made it extremely difficult to track certain cargoes accurately, particularly oil shipments.
How does shadow fleet work?
Reporting on how the shadow fleet works to circumvent the American blockade, Al Jazeera writes that Iran uses a network of real ships but with concealed identity, and the ownership of a majority of ships is registered for shell companies. On the other hand, the transportation routes are set untransparently and some ships intentionally switch off their tracking systems. As a result, the global tracking data sometimes give a partial or misleading picture of the true navigation of the ships. This is how this fleet has managed to broke the US blockade.
Alternative land routes
Another tactic Iran has used to sidestep and neutralize the US naval restrictions is turning to alternative routes. According to media reports, in response to the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has shifted to a mix of land, sea, and rail corridors to keep at least part of its trade and oil exports flowing.
Reports also indicate that Iran is leveraging its extensive land borders with neighboring countries to move goods. These routes include:
- Transferring goods from Pakistan into Iran via multiple border crossings
- Using transit routes through Turkey to access European markets
- Coordinating with neighboring countries to move commercial and consumer shipments
The Caspian Sea route
The New York Times reports that while facing the US naval blockade, Iran has continued trading through the Caspian Sea with Russia and Central Asia. Russian and regional goods enter Iran via this route. Some industrial and, according to some reports, military items have been moved this way. Northern Iranian ports have taken on a significantly larger role.
The rail route to China
The New York Times also describes the rail link to China as one of Iran’s most important alternative routes to bypass the naval blockade. The corridor runs through Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, connecting to China’s rail network. Iran now ships some of its oil exports via this route, and China remains one of the largest buyers of Iranian crude. The rail route helps evade sanctions, though its capacity remains limited.
Southern ports and routes
Tehran is also making use of ports located outside the immediate Strait of Hormuz choke point, notably Chabahar and Jask. These ports provide access to the Gulf of Oman without requiring a direct passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
What do experts say?
Experts suggest that alternative routes can assuage part of the economic pressure on Iran, but they can not stand as a total replacement to the sea routes at a broader level since the costs of transportation are higher and the capability is lower. However, they generally conclude that the US blockade has seriously limited Iranian trade, but, taking advantage of its vast size, land borders and regional partners, Iran has managed to press ahead with its trade, and actually this situation has kind of caused trade route shift rather than fully stopped Iran's trade.
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