A tanker flying the Russian flag has passed through the Strait of Hormuz for the first time in a long while — Bloomberg
A tanker flying the Russian flag passed through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf, which is a rare occurrence for vessels from that country.
Bloomberg reported this.
According to vessel tracking systems, the Arhimeda—a very large crude carrier built in 2000—passed westward through the strait late Thursday. The vessel, which was unloaded at the time of passage, initially listed the Iranian island of Kharg as its destination but later changed its status to “on call.” This status typically means the vessel has no clear instructions regarding its next port of call.
According to data from the International Maritime Organization, in January the Arhimeda was reflagged to Russia and became one of only four VLCC tankers registered under the Russian flag. This occurred amid intensifying U.S. sanctions pressure, particularly regarding vessels of the so-called “shadow fleet,” which are increasingly changing jurisdictions to circumvent restrictions.
The owner and operator of the Arhimeda is listed as Egir Shipping Ltd of the Seychelles, which, according to registries, is linked to organizations subject to U.S. sanctions. Technical management of the vessel is carried out by Pro Ocean Management LLC of Azerbaijan. The tanker last transported Venezuelan Merey crude oil in August of last year. Previously, it was also subject to U.S. sanctions under its former name, Vizuri, due to alleged ties to the Iranian oil trade.
Despite the restrictions, oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz continues, particularly in the context of Iranian oil exports. Kharq Island, mentioned as the destination, is one of Iran’s key oil export hubs and has been the target of attacks on multiple occasions, although the strikes were mostly directed at military targets rather than oil infrastructure.
Iran seeks to receive payment for the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz exclusively in cryptocurrency, which allows it to circumvent international banking sanctions.
As a reminder, U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding that European allies present concrete plans within a few days to ensure the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Recall that U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, during which the parties plan to finalize a definitive agreement.
Iran has agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping for two weeks—for the duration of the ceasefire with the U.S. This agreement is part of broader negotiations on de-escalation in the region.
According to anonymous sources, Chinese officials held talks with Iranian representatives to encourage Tehran to cooperate and facilitate a ceasefire with the United States.
