11 Million Barrels of Oil Capacity Heads Back to Hormuz as Supply Chains Restart

For logistics and procurement managers, the Strait of Hormuz is the single most critical node in global energy supply chains. After a week of near-zero transits, the sight of multiple VLCCs and a Suezmax steaming into the gulf signals a potential normalization of crude and LNG shipments – and a chance to reassess just-in-time inventory, insurance costs, and alternative routing strategies.

After a week of military escalation and a fragile ceasefire, supertankers are cautiously returning to the Persian Gulf, resuming transit through the Strait of Hormuz – the world’s most critical oil chokepoint. On June 29, 2026, data from commodity data firm Kpler showed that 24 commodity ships, including crude oil and liquefied natural gas carriers, crossed the strait in both directions. The following day, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) reappeared within the gulf, the first such entry since the outbreak of hostilities between the U.S. and Iran in late February. Together, the oil tankers that sailed on Monday and Tuesday possess a combined capacity to transport approximately 11 million barrels of crude, pointing to a rapid restoration of shipping confidence.

“

A sustained increase would likely deflate the oil risk premium rapidly, with Brent crude – which had risen above $85 per barrel on war fears – possibly retreating below $80.

This traffic revival follows a rapid and dangerous sequence of events. On June 25, Iran attacked a container ship in the strait, marking an escalation in a simmering shadow war. The United States responded with fresh military strikes on Iranian positions in the days after. However, amid intense diplomatic pressure, both sides agreed to halt hostilities ahead of peace talks slated for this week. This de-escalation built on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed on June 18, which had already laid a framework for U.S.-Iran negotiations – only to be jeopardized by the ship attacks. The ceasefire, though tenuous, has opened a window for shippers to test the waters.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of global seaborne oil trade and a substantial share of LNG. Any prolonged disruption can instantly add a geopolitical risk premium to crude prices and send insurance war risk rates soaring, as witnessed during the 2019 tanker war. The rapid return of supertankers, even those entering empty to load, indicates that shipowners and their underwriters are beginning to price in a lower threat level. The behavior of major operators is telling: South Korea’s Sinokor sent three empty VLCCs into the Gulf on Monday, openly transmitting their position along Oman’s coast – a clear signal of both confidence and transparency. A fourth vessel that Sinokor began operating in April was already broadcasting from within the gulf, heading toward Iraq’s Basrah terminal to load crude. Separately, a 2026-built, Marshall Islands-flagged Suezmax owned by a Greek company signaled from inside the Persian Gulf for what appears to be its first entry since the war started in late February. That vessel is currently idling off Ras Al-Khaimah in the UAE, likely waiting for a charter.