Iranian LPG shipments continued reaching South Asian markets during the June 5–10 reporting period despite an active U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, according to analysis published by maritime intelligence firm Windward. The period also saw U.S. enforcement actions expand well beyond the Strait of Hormuz, kinetic strikes on sanctioned vessels, and a sharp drop in AIS-visible commercial transits through the strait.
LPG Carriers Reaching India and Pakistan
Windward, drawing on Vortexa data, identified five Iran-trading LPG carriers that successfully broke the U.S. blockade between April and May 2026. Four discharged cargoes in India and one in Pakistan.
According to Windward’s analysis:
- Four of the five vessels are under U.S. sanctions
- Two operated under fraudulent flag registries
- All five employed deceptive shipping practices, including AIS spoofing and dark transit, to conceal loading locations and voyage destinations
The routes varied but followed a recognizable pattern. One Panama-flagged very large gas carrier entered Hormuz on May 2 with AIS visible, loaded at Bandar Mahshahr on May 9, and discharged at Mangalore on May 20. After leaving India, the vessel switched off AIS upon re-entering the blockade area and was subsequently found spoofing its location along the Omani coastline, according to the Windward report.
A vessel assessed by Windward as a long-time Iran LPG trader, flagged in Comoros and not sanctioned, entered Hormuz on April 14 and spoofed its position to appear as though it was loading in Iraq before conducting a dark outbound transit and discharging at Karachi.
Windward noted that while Iranian crude flows to East Asia remain heavily constrained — with no Iran-trading VLCC detected arriving in Asia via Malacca, Sunda, or Lombok since May 4 — LPG volumes are still reaching South Asian ports through narrower, harder-to-track channels.
U.S. Enforcement Moves Into the Indian Ocean
U.S. enforcement actions expanded geographically during this period. According to Windward, the sanctioned tanker DAVINA — operating under the name LENORE — resumed AIS transmission on June 5 after six weeks offline. U.S. INDOPACOM forces had boarded the vessel near Galle, Sri Lanka, while it was reportedly carrying 1.9 million barrels of Iranian oil.
This marked the first documented U.S. interdiction in the western Indian Ocean approaches, extending enforcement beyond the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, and Arabian Sea operating areas.
Separately, U.S. CENTCOM announced the disabling of the sanctioned Palau-flagged tanker MT MARIVEX in the Gulf of Oman. The vessel had been stationary off the Omani coast since June 7 when it was disabled while attempting to sail toward an Iranian port. All 24 Indian seafarers onboard were evacuated and reported safe, according to Windward. The action follows the June 2 Hellfire strike on MT LEXIE, continuing what Windward describes as a pattern of kinetic blockade enforcement.
Commercial Transit Disruption at Hormuz
Following CENTCOM’s humanitarian transit announcement, Windward documented a surge in inbound bulk carrier traffic through Hormuz around June 5–6. However, AIS-visible transits dropped sharply in the June 9–10 cycle, falling to three corridor crossings from eight in the prior period. Windward attributes the decline to vessels defensively silencing AIS in response to the MARIVEX disabling.
IRGC high-speed craft activity also reached notable levels during this period. On June 6, Windward’s tracking recorded 139 high-speed craft within its monitoring area, with 91 concentrated in the northeast zone — the largest single-zone concentration recorded since tracking began, according to the report.
Kharg Island and Non-Crude Exports
At Kharg Island, crude loading activity remained uneven. EO imagery collected between June 5 and June 10 showed intermittent loading at the eastern T-jetty, with uncertainty around whether a vessel observed on June 9 had begun taking on cargo before departing overnight.
Of note, Windward recorded the first sulphur loading event at Kharg since the start of the current conflict period. A bulk carrier was observed alongside the south LPG and sulphur terminal on June 10, suggesting Iranian export diversification beyond crude under continued pressure.
Khor Fakkan and Dark Fleet Staging
Windward’s imagery analysis identified dense ship-to-ship transfer activity at Khor Fakkan between June 5 and June 8, including three simultaneous dark VLCC-to-VLCC raft configurations and a dark LNG carrier loading nearby. The Larak–Qeshm anchorage also remained active, with IRGC high-speed craft assessed as supporting logistics for stationary dark tanker clusters in the area.
Does This Matter to You?
The continued movement of Iranian LPG into South Asian markets through dark transit, AIS spoofing, and fraudulent flagging is directly relevant to anyone involved in cargo tracking, sanctions compliance, vessel vetting, or risk assessment in the broader Indian Ocean and Gulf region. The expansion of U.S. enforcement into the western Indian Ocean — and the sharp drop in AIS-visible traffic through Hormuz — adds complexity to voyage planning and risk evaluation for those operating near or transiting the area. The evolving situation at Khor Fakkan, a well-known ship-to-ship transfer location, may also warrant attention from those monitoring cargo provenance and vessel behaviour in UAE waters.
Gulf Bunkering does not provide operational or security guidance. This article is for informational purposes only. Operators should consult flag state authorities, P&I clubs, and relevant advisories for decisions relating to transit planning.
Sources: Windward Maritime AI™
