A Russian-flagged supertanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz late Thursday, becoming one of only a handful of vessels to navigate the war-hit waterway in recent weeks.
The Arhimeda, a very large crude carrier built in 2000, sailed westward through the strait while empty, according to ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic. The vessel entered the Persian Gulf during a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, now in its second week.
The tanker had earlier indicated Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s main crude export hub, as its destination. It later switched its status to “for orders,” a term used when a vessel has not yet received clear instructions for its next port call.
Iran’s state-run broadcaster reported that only four ships passed through the strait in the past 24 hours, including one Iranian oil tanker and the Russian vessel.
The Arhimeda switched to the Russian flag in January, according to a database run on behalf of the International Maritime Organization. It is one of only four VLCCs that sail under the Russian flag. The vessel was previously sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in July under its former name, Vizuri, for alleged links to Iranian oil trade.
The tanker’s last known cargo was a shipment of Merey crude from Venezuela in August 2025. Its owner and manager is listed as Egir Shipping Ltd., with a Seychelles-based address that has been linked to other U.S.-sanctioned entities.
The transit comes as energy markets remain focused on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes. Disruptions in the waterway have tightened global energy supplies and fueled price volatility.
Most commercial shipping through the strait has halted since the conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran began in late February. Iranian crude shipments, however, have continued. Kharg Island has been hit by at least two U.S. strikes, though these concentrated on military targets, not oil infrastructure.
Washington and Tehran are set to hold talks this weekend in Pakistan after reaching a tentative ceasefire in the war that erupted at the end of February. The U.S. has stated it will maintain a military presence in and around Iran until a final agreement is reached.
Traders are closely monitoring every transit through the waterway. The Arhimeda’s passage marks a rare movement for a Russian vessel through the strait, which has seen traffic slow sharply during the conflict.