The Persian Gulf Strait Authority was established in mid-May to monitor passage and collect tolls from the Strait of Hormuz. Since then, the authority has published three lists of blacklisted ships, totaling 77 vessels. All of these ships have either passed through the southern corridor or traversed the northern corridor of Iran without paying tolls.
Composition of the Blacklist
The list of ships is compiled purposefully and punitively and includes vessels that appear to have undermined Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz. According to selection criteria, any ship using the southern corridor or passing through the northern corridor of Iran with marine insurance linked to Western suppliers may be included on this list. However, being on this list has not prevented the continued trade of these ships in the region.
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Characteristics of Blacklisted Ships
85 percent of the blacklisted ships are tankers, indicating their disproportionate use of the southern corridor. This corridor is under military protection from the United States and allows Gulf energy companies to transport their oil to the global market. Among these, 38 percent of the blacklisted ships fly the Liberian flag, reflecting the choice of this flag by major companies such as ADNOC and Sinokor Marine.
Additionally, 40 percent of the blacklisted ships belong to companies from the United Arab Emirates, and 12 percent of these vessels are owned by Greek owners. This situation highlights the prominent role of the UAE in utilizing the southern corridor since May.
The majority of blacklisted ships have turned off their AIS systems for safety and security reasons. Only 35 percent of these vessels have reported their location in the past two days. Furthermore, eight cargo ships, including two Greek-owned vessels named MINOAN PIONEER and MINOAN DIGNITY, are on this list.
Ultimately, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority has emphasized the importance of protecting itself against the repercussions of interacting with these ships by adding new vessels to the blacklist.
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