US Navy Intercepts Iranian Tanker Herby as 1.5 Million Barrels a Day Reach Chinese Ports
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 12
US Navy Intercepts Iranian Tanker Herby as 1.5 Million Barrels a Day Reach Chinese Ports
5 articles · Updated · CNN · May 12
Late April footage and shipping data show the USS Rafael Peralta intercepted the Iranian-flagged Herby after a suspected ship-to-ship transfer near Singapore, but the tanker appeared already unloaded.
Three days later, tracking data placed the receiving tanker Hauncayo at Shandong’s Yantai port, where it went dark for three days in a pattern consistent with discharging the suspected Iranian crude.
That route feeds China’s independent “teapot” refineries, which analysts say process much of Beijing’s sanctioned Iranian oil and have become more important as war-related disruption tightened other supplies.
Vortexa estimates Shandong and Dalian received more than 1.5 million barrels per day of Iranian oil on average in March and April, while Kpler says Iran supplied 18% of China’s seaborne imports last month, up from 13% before the war.
The trade is now a live US-China friction point ahead of Trump’s visit, with Washington blacklisting 12 people and entities and targeting Chinese refineries even as Beijing tells firms to ignore US sanctions.
With Iranian oil's price advantage nearly gone, is the sanctions-busting 'teapot' refinery boom about to end?
As US sanctions collide with China's new blocking orders, how can global banks avoid being crushed in the middle?
The uninsured 'shadow fleet' is swelling. Is the world sailing toward an unavoidable environmental catastrophe?
Strait of Hormuz Blockade 2026: US-Iran Naval Standoff Triggers Global Oil Shock, Humanitarian Crisis, and Diplomatic Deadlock
Overview
As of May 2026, the Strait of Hormuz is effectively blocked following a series of naval skirmishes, with the U.S. Central Command launching 'Project Freedom' to defend commercial shipping. This operation is part of a broader U.S. naval blockade strategy, supported by a strong American military presence, including the USS George H.W. Bush. The blockade has led to direct confrontations, such as the disabling of Iranian oil tankers, and has intensified tensions between the U.S. and Iran. These actions have disrupted global energy flows, strained diplomatic relations, and created significant risks for regional and international stability.