Iranian Tankers Reactivate Transponders and Head Out of Hormuz on Eve of U.S.-Iran Deal
N.R. Finch
At least four Iran-linked tankers have switched their transponders back on and are moving out of the Strait of Hormuz — two of them supertankers carrying 2 million barrels each. With 68 million barrels of trapped Iranian crude poised for release once Friday's deal is signed, the already-pressured global oil market faces a swift supply shock.
Why are these tankers suddenly visible again?
Bloomberg ship-tracking data shows four Iran-linked tankers have reactivated their transponders — a device that makes a vessel visible on radar. Two are supertankers, each capable of carrying 2 million barrels.
Iranian tankers routinely go dark, spoof signals, or jam tracking. Multiple vessels switching on simultaneously is rare. This means → Tehran believes the blockade is about to lift and is deliberately making its fleet visible — a signal to the market that shipments are ready.
TankerTrackers.com reported that at least three tankers previously anchored at Chabahar have left their berths, though their current locations are unknown.
What is the blockade, and is it really ending?
The US Navy began blockading Iranian ports in mid-April, forcing tankers to remain at Chabahar. In recent weeks, US forces fired on vessels attempting to break through.
Iran's deputy foreign minister said Tuesday, via semi-official media, that the lifting of the blockade has begun and entered the implementation phase. US Central Command declined to comment.
In plain terms = the blockade has lasted nearly two months. Iran says it is already being lifted, and ships are indeed moving — but Washington has not confirmed, so the actual pace remains uncertain.
What does the deal actually include?
Bloomberg previously reported the near-final text: upon signing, the US Treasury will immediately issue sanctions-waiver licenses for Iranian crude exports, and the US commits to lifting the naval blockade.
The deal is scheduled for signing this Friday in Switzerland.
This means → if Friday goes as planned, Iran's crude could shift from "fully blocked" to "cleared for export" within days — far faster than a typical sanctions-relief process.
How could 68 million trapped barrels hit oil prices?
Analytics firm Kpler estimates roughly 68 million barrels of Iranian crude are currently trapped within the blockade zone. In plain terms = that is about 16 hours of global oil consumption — a concentrated release would deliver a meaningful supply shock.
Of the four tankers that reappeared, two fuel carriers have already transited the Strait of Hormuz; one was still sailing through the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday, and the other listed its destination as offshore Oman.
This reflects something important: the trapped crude is not a distant forecast — ships are already moving. Whether the deal is signed on schedule and how fast the blockade actually lifts will determine the timing window for this inventory hitting the market.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.