60 empty supertankers mass near Hormuz as two tankers U-turn in race to reposition

For global supply chain managers, the sight of two tankers executing a mid-ocean U-turn is more than a curiosity — it’s a signal that the world’s most crucial energy transit point may be about to spring back to life. With 60 empty supertankers now clustered in the Gulf of Oman and a tentative peace deal set to unlock 20% of the planet’s oil and LNG flow, procurement and logistics teams must quickly recalculate lead times, freight costs, and inventory buffers as alternative routing via the Cape gives way to direct Hormuz transits.

The oil tanker market has seen a dramatic shift this week as two vessels abruptly reversed course in the Indian Ocean and set new destinations in the Middle East, heralding an industry race to reposition ahead of a possible reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The Suezmax Kapodistrias 21 and the VLCC Coslucky Lake both abandoned their Africa-bound voyages on Monday, June 15, 2026, and signaled the UAE port of Fujairah, just outside the strait. These diversions came only hours after the US and Iran reportedly reached an interim peace deal draft, pledging to end mutual blockades and reopen the waterway — a deal slated for signing on Friday, June 19. The strait, responsible for roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas deliveries, has been effectively closed since late February when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, cutting off a vital artery of world energy trade.

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Ship-tracking data indicates a flurry of activity among Iran-linked vessels, with four ships switching on their transponders and apparently moving out of the strait or Gulf of Oman on Tuesday.

The immediate catalyst is the prospect of renewed Iranian oil exports. Ship-tracking data indicates a flurry of activity among Iran-linked vessels, with four ships switching on their transponders and apparently moving out of the strait or Gulf of Oman on Tuesday. This sudden visibility suggests Tehran is preparing to resume sales as soon as the diplomatic agreement takes effect. For the broader tanker market, the calculus is clear : the first shipowners to position themselves at the choke point can lock in lucrative voyages, as a heightened risk premium persists. Shipbrokers report that the number of empty supertankers waiting in the Gulf of Oman has surged to about 60, up from roughly three dozen earlier this month — a 67% jump that underscores both the anticipation and the cautious ‘wait-and-see’ posture many owners still hold.

The strategic implications extend well beyond a few diverted tankers. A fully reopened Strait of Hormuz could restore up to 20 million barrels per day of crude and condensate flow, plus significant LNG volumes. For the logistics chains refined over the past four months of closure, this represents a sudden rollback of the alternative routing via longer, costlier paths around the Cape of Good Hope. The available pool of idle VLCCs and Suezmaxes near the strait will be critical to absorbing the initial surge in cargoes. However, the fact that only 60 are holding suggests the market remains tight; if demand materializes swiftly, rates could spike sharply, rewarding first movers while punishing those who delayed.

From a geopolitical risk standpoint, the interim deal is fragile. The draft memorandum’s details remain undisclosed, and a formal signing has not yet occurred. Shipowners with higher risk appetites are betting that the strait will stay open long enough to complete voyages, but any breakdown in negotiations could instantly revive blockade risks. The insurance and war risk premiums currently attached to Hormuz transits will not evaporate overnight — they will only compress if multiple safe passages are observed. Thus, the next two weeks will be a litmus test for the credibility of the US-Iran rapprochement.