April 7, 2026: Iran War Maritime Intelligence Daily

At a Glance

• Hormuz transits on April 6 measured 11 vessels, all taking the Iran-controlled Northern Corridor route via Larak Island. 
• Two Pakistani-bound LNG carriers turned back from planned outbound transits  
• 1298 cargo ships or tankers transmitted their AIS West of Hormuz

Operational Overview 

Bulk carriers in Iranian trades including those with beneficial ownership in Greece and China continue to exit the Strait of Hormuz while Iran ensures regular transits for its oil and gas shipments. Energy commodities exports from other Gulf countries are seen on an ad-hoc basis.

Strait of Hormuz Transits Steady

Eleven vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on April 6 — four inbound and seven outbound.

Inbound traffic comprised three tankers with one signalling Chinese crew onboard and Hamriyah as its next port of call, although the vessel didn’t sail to this destination. Most inbound tankers are engaged in Iranian oil transportation.

All 7 outbound vessels used the Northern Corridor, with 2 tankers, 2 bulk carriers, and 3 cargo vessels.

PAKISTAN-BOUND QATAR LNG CARGOES TURN BACK

Two Qatari LNG carriers aborted Hormuz transits on 6 April, one managed by a UK company, and the other owned by Qatar’s national gas shipping company on a long-term charter with a Western oil company. Both were fully laden after loading at Ras Laffan last month. On April 6 one changed its destination to Pakistan from China while the other was signalling Port Qasim.

It was not clear whether the vessels would attempt the new Omani coastal route — first used on 2–3 April by three Omani-controlled ships — to bypass both the IRGC-controlled Larak corridor and the main international navigation channel. On April 7 both carriers appeared to be returning to anchorage at Qatar.

Pakistan has negotiated with Iran for energy commodity cargoes to exit Hormuz. Iran has reportedly indicated two ships daily can transit amid reports Pakistan is weighing whether to allow vessels to reflag to Pakistan to ship cargoes. Both LNG. carriers were flagged by the Marshall Islands and Bahamas respectively.

DIESEL ARBITRAGE DRIVES OIL-ON-WATER HIGHER

Diesel and gasoil on the water tracked at 205 million barrels as of 6 April — up 12% in nearly two weeks — as tankers are chartered to ship middle distillates on longer journeys to Asia, where shortages are starting to emerge.

Loadings from refineries west of Hormuz plunged to 216,000 bpd in March — down 80% from 1.12 million bpd the prior month (Vortexa). Most of that diesel and gasoil remains on tankers currently trapped in the Middle East Gulf.

Most extreme diesel arbitrage signal in at least a decade has redirected cargoes to Asia from Europe and North America, as governments impose energy restrictions and swing suppliers such as China limit exports.

ZOMBIE LNG CARRIER  REPEATS HORMUZ TRANSIT

The identity of a scrapped LNG carrier was reused by a tanker transiting Hormuz on April 5. The original vessel was broken up in 2025, with registry and former management confirming it no longer exists — indicating deliberate identity fraud.

Satellite imagery shows the current vessel is not a 290 m LNG carrier, with estimated length in the 245–270 m range, consistent with a different vessel class operating under a stolen identity.

The first outbound transit observed 20–21 March via the IRGC-controlled corridor, followed by an AIS dark phase. The second outbound transit on 5 April used the same profile with AIS signal lost shortly after crossing.

INDIA-BOUND IRAN TANKER DIVERTS

Falsely flagged US-sanctioned aframax tanker Ping Shun (IMO 9231901) that was signalling its next destination as Vadinar to become the first ship to deliver Iranian oil to India in seven years diverted just days before reaching port.

The vessel signalled on March 30 it was sailing to Vadinar from waters off Oman, a known area for subterfuge ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian oil while vessels have their AIS switched off.

The ship is now sailing for Colombo’s outer anchorages and then Dong Yin, China according to its new AIS signal on April 5. Dongying China was its original destination on March 25..

The US issued a one-month waiver for Iranian oil shipments already at sea on March 20, authorising necessary transactions for the sale, delivery and offloading, to offset price hikes arising from the Hormuz closure.

Ping Shun was sanctioned for links to Iran on Feb 25, 2025, and has flow both the false flags of Guyana and Eswanti since then, effectively rendering the vessel stateless.

RUSSIA DIVERTS TANKERS AROUND UK

A diversionary route to Russia that avoids the English Channel is now firmly established since the UK Prime Minister announced March 25 new powers to board, intercept and detain sanctioned Russian shadow fleet vessels. 

The route tracks north & west of the British Isles, a longer and more expensive passage to reach the Baltic or the Atlantic. 

The legal basis cited for interceptions was 2018 Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act, permitting military force against vessels operating without a valid national flag. 

Of the 11, sanctioned, dark fleet tankers tracked over the past seven days, nine avoided the Channel. Seven were flagged with Sierra Leone, 3 with Cameroon and 1 with Panama.