April 6, 2026: Iran War Maritime Intelligence Daily

At a Glance

• Transit through Hormuz has shifted to a dual-corridor system, combining an IRGC-controlled northern route with a new southern pathway along Oman.
• Eleven vessels transited on April 5, with movement split between both corridors and ongoing dark activity.
• The southern corridor became operational between April 2–5, scaling rapidly to coordinated multi-vessel transits.
• Iraqi-linked vessels are now granted exemptions, with prioritized passage already observed in practice.
• Kharg Island loading exceeded 5 million barrels, with exports primarily directed toward China under AIS-dark conditions.
• Missile and drone strikes targeted both transiting and berthed vessels, expanding risk across Gulf waters and port infrastructure.
• 267 AIS-dark events and 596 foreign-flag vessels in the Gulf highlight sustained low visibility and continued regional activity.

Operational Overview 

The Strait of Hormuz is no longer operating as a single controlled chokepoint. Between April 2 and 5, transit evolved into a dual-corridor system, combining military control with emerging diplomatic coordination.

A northern route remains centered around IRGC control near Larak Island. In parallel, a southern corridor has emerged along the Omani coastline, enabling vessels to transit outside the original control zone. This shift reflects ongoing Iran-Oman discussions on navigation rules and the introduction of a second operational pathway.

At the same time, Iranian export activity remains active but opaque. Loading operations at Kharg Island continue under AIS-dark conditions, with sustained flows directed primarily toward China. Meanwhile, vessel targeting inside the Gulf has expanded beyond transit corridors to include anchored and berthed vessels, increasing exposure across both maritime and port environments.

The operating environment is now defined by parallel routing structures, selective access, diplomatic coordination, and elevated kinetic risk.

Dual-Corridor Transit Through the Strait of Hormuz 

Transit patterns on April 5 confirm the transition to a dual-corridor system.

A total of 11 vessels crossed the Strait, including 3 inbound and 8 outbound movements. Inbound traffic consisted entirely of tankers, while outbound traffic included both tankers and cargo vessels.

Outbound flows were split across two routes, including five vessels that transited via the northern IRGC-controlled corridor near Larak Island, and three vessels that used the southern corridor along the Omani coastline.

This distribution confirms that the southern pathway is operational and actively being used.

AIS behavior remains inconsistent. Multiple vessels transited with partial or no AIS transmission, reinforcing continued reliance on semi-dark and dark navigation practices across both corridors.

Southern Corridor Scales Rapidly

Between April 2 and 5, the southern corridor progressed from initial activation to coordinated multi-vessel operations.

• April 2: The corridor opened with three vessels, including two VLCCs and one LNG carrier, marking the first LNG transit since the war began.
• April 3: Two eastbound vessels transited.
• April 4: Four vessels crossed, including two simultaneous transits within one minute, indicating coordinated movement.
• April 5: Three vessels completed crossings.

The pace of development reflects rapid scaling from limited initial use to structured, coordinated routing.

Selective Access and Iraqi Exemptions

Transit through Hormuz continues to operate under a permissions-based system, with emerging exemptions shaping flow patterns.

As of April 4, Iran granted an exemption to Iraqi-linked vessels, allowing free passage through the Strait. Windward identified 21 Iraqi-linked tankers, including seven high-risk vessels broadcasting “IRAQI OWNERS” in their AIS transmissions.

This exemption is already reflected in operational behavior. A Panama-flagged Suezmax crude tanker carrying approximately 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy transited eastbound toward Pengerang, Malaysia, operating without AIS.

The pattern confirms that access is not open. Transit permissions are selectively allocated based on political alignment and cargo type.

Kharg Island Loading Sustains Export Flows

Iranian export activity continues under opaque conditions, with sustained loading at Kharg Island.

On April 2, six tankers were identified loading at the terminal, including OFAC-sanctioned vessels employing deceptive shipping practices — such as AIS spoofing, flag hopping, and dark activity —  to transport Iranian crude and fuel oil. 

These vessels included two VLCCs, one carrying over 1.7 million barrels and the other 2 million barrels of crude, both destined for Dongjiakou, China, and an Aframax carrying approximately 604 thousand barrels of fuel oil.

Taken together, loading activity at Kharg Island exceeds 5 million barrels, with flows primarily directed toward China.

Satellite imagery from April 5 shows an additional VLCC positioned south of the terminal, assessed to be waiting to load, indicating continued throughput.

Gulf Security Incidents Expand Targeting Scope

Kinetic risk inside the Gulf continues to expand across both transit and port environments.

On April 1, AQUA 1 (IMO: 9573660), a Panama-flagged oil products tanker, was struck by an Iranian cruise missile approximately 17 nautical miles north of Ras Laffan within Qatari territorial waters. Two additional missiles were intercepted by Qatari air defenses. The vessel ceased AIS transmission shortly before the incident, with its position later confirmed through satellite imagery.

On April 4, MSC ISHYKA (IMO: 9154206), a Liberian-flagged container vessel, was struck by an IRGC drone while moored at Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Bahrain. The attack caused a fire onboard while the vessel was at berth. The IRGC designated the operation as “True Promise 4 / Ya Hasan ibn Ali” and stated the vessel was targeted due to suspected Israeli ownership. The vessel stopped transmitting AIS shortly after the incident, with its location confirmed via satellite imagery.

These incidents demonstrate a clear expansion in targeting logic. 

Gulf Activity and Visibility Remain Constrained

As of April 5, 596 foreign-flag vessels were present in the Gulf, representing a decrease of 101 vessels compared to the previous day.

Activity spans multiple vessel classes:

• Bulk carriers: 146.
• Product tankers: 132.
• Crude tankers: 66.
• Container ships: 45.
• LNG and LPG carriers: 40.
• Chemical tankers: 32.
• Other vessel types: 135.

At the same time, 267 AIS-dark events were detected, indicating sustained low visibility and non-transparent vessel behavior across the region.

Oil and crude destination patterns over the past three days show:

• China: 68%.
• Russia-linked: 9%.
• Iran-linked: 7%.
• Singapore: 5%.
• South Korea: 4%.
• Other: 7%.

This distribution confirms continued concentration of flows toward Asian markets, particularly China.

Outlook

The Strait of Hormuz now operates as a dual-corridor system, combining IRGC-managed control with an emerging Omani-aligned route supported by diplomatic coordination.

Iranian exports remain active under AIS-dark conditions, with sustained loading at Kharg Island and continued flows toward Asia. Selective exemptions, including Iraqi crude, indicate that transit permissions are increasingly differentiated and strategically allocated.

At the same time, vessel targeting inside the Gulf shows that risk extends beyond chokepoints to include anchored and port-based assets.

The maritime environment is defined by controlled access, parallel routing structures, opaque energy flows, and expanding security risk across both transit corridors and port operations.