After U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, Iran declared a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, leaving many ships unable to move, but one liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier was seen slipping out. It was part of Iran's "shadow fleet," which the United States has sanctioned.
According to the vessel-tracking service MarineTraffic on the 6th, the Palau-flagged LPG carrier Danuta I passed through the Strait of Hormuz that day.
Tracking data shows Danuta I departed near Dubai Port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 27th of last month and, after transiting Iran on the 5th of this month, is heading to Khor Fakkan in the emirate of Sharjah in eastern UAE.
Danuta I is a ship the United States has designated as part of Iran's shadow fleet. A shadow fleet refers to informal vessels operated to export oil from sanctioned countries. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added Danuta I and others to its sanctions list last month on suspicion of transporting Iranian ammonia.
Most ships have halted operations as Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatens vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, a key chokepoint through which Middle Eastern oil reaches the world.
It is understood that 26 Korea-flagged ships are currently waiting inside the Strait of Hormuz. A total of 144 Koreans, including maritime university students, are on board those vessels.