Iran ships over 10 million barrels of oil to China since start of US 'blockade': Report

Kpler stated that the US sanctions on Iran have merely 'disrupted the oil industry,' but they have not 'broken' it  

News Desk - The Cradle 

Iran shipped an estimated 10.7 million barrels of oil to China during the first half of April, despite a US naval blockade, according to data from Kpler reported by CNN on 23 April.

The firm estimated flows at about 985,000 barrels per day (bpd), noting that tanker activity in Iranian loading zones “continues” and has not been interrupted.

Kpler said the blockade has “disrupted the oil machine, but it has not broken it,” pointing to intact loading infrastructure and steady cargo movement toward China. 

Tankers remain positioned at Iranian ports, while storage at the Jask export terminal – which allows shipments to bypass the Strait of Hormuz – reached a record 5.8 million barrels.

Vortexa reported that 10.7 million barrels of crude passed through the Strait of Hormuz between 13 and 21 April, including 35 transits involving Iran-linked or sanctioned vessels. 

The firm added that US enforcement operates across a broader maritime zone rather than the strait itself, complicating but not halting traffic.

Separately, Iranian media, citing Chinese tracking data, reported that 14 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz within 24 hours on 21 April, including three oil tankers.

Taken together, the data shows that while US measures have increased pressure on Iran’s oil exports, flows have continued at scale, supported by alternative export routes and sustained tanker activity.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it redirected 31 vessels and seized or boarded others as part of enforcement operations, even as overall shipping activity persists. 

Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani demanded on 22 April that the US lift its naval blockade on Iranian ports before any negotiations can resume, rejecting US President Donald Trump’s unilateral extension of the two-week ceasefire. 

Iravani said the blockade violates the truce and warned that while Tehran is open to talks if Washington seeks a political solution, it is also prepared for escalation if necessary. 

Iranian officials dismissed the extension as “meaningless,” with senior advisor Mahdi Mohammadi calling it a “ploy to buy time for a surprise attack.”

Meanwhile, Iran has begun collecting transit fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with a senior parliamentary official confirming on 23 April that the country has received its first revenues from the system. 

The move comes as Tehran maintains tight control over the waterway, allowing only a limited number of approved vessels to pass while rejecting US demands to reopen the strait or scale back its nuclear program.

Iranian officials said the policy will remain in place as long as the US blockade on its ports continues, even as the disruption adds pressure to global markets.