Six tankers use Oman route in Hormuz while four others switch to Iranian path after weekend U-turns

Shipping activity along a route close to Oman’s coast in the Strait of Hormuz showed signs of recovery on Sunday, Fortune reported. Six oil and gas freighters were observed on that path, though many vessels continue to sail with transponders off. Over Friday and Saturday at least eight vessels made U-turns while on the Omani route.

Four of those vessels later sailed northward toward the Iranian route and exited the strait, according to ship-tracking data cited by Bloomberg. Kpler data recorded 19 vessels crossing the strait in either direction on Saturday, with only one openly signaling an inbound transit along the Omani coast. That figure compared with 13 vessels on the same route the previous day.

At least one fuel tanker that had turned back earlier was seen Sunday sailing past the tip of Oman’s Musandam peninsula. A products tanker transited the Omani route openly on Sunday before broadcasting a position in the Gulf of Oman. One Suezmax crude carrier appeared in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday after last signaling from inside the Persian Gulf on Saturday.

Two other small tankers exited closer to Iran. Western navies stated that the center of the strait has been mined and described the threat risk as substantial. The Joint Maritime Intelligence Center said Sunday that Iranian forces continue to harass shipping.

Iran has stated that vessels must use only the route it designates and authorizes. For much of the recent conflict, ships attempting to leave the Persian Gulf have reported radio warnings from Iranian forces instructing them not to proceed without Tehran’s permission, and Iran has fired on some vessels that ignored those instructions.