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Iran Blacklisted 77 Vessels Over Unpaid Strait Tolls

Tanker operators and insurers face potential disruption after Iran moved to penalize ships bypassing transit fees.

Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Oil and Gas

Isometric editorial illustration of a stylized cargo tanker on water, representing the maritime vessel blacklist policy.
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority has blacklisted 77 vessels for transiting the Strait of Hormuz without paying required transit fees. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should commercial ships be expected to pay tolls to regional authorities in international transit straits?

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority has blacklisted 77 vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz without paying required tolls. The enforcement action, which includes tankers accounting for 85% of the list, aims to pressure global insurers and marine societies to cut ties with the targeted ships.

Why it matters

This enforcement creates significant compliance and risk management hurdles for operators, particularly as Iran pressures classification societies to drop coverage for these vessels. Shippers must now navigate heightened scrutiny regarding insurance, as many affected ships currently maintain coverage through the International Group of 12 P&I Clubs.

The list includes 77 ships, with 38% flagged to Liberia and 40% maintaining Emirati-linked ownership. While 61% of these vessels broadcast AIS signals during September, most previously bypassed detection by operating with systems turned off or by using corridors through Omani waters.

The players

Persian Gulf Strait Authority

The body responsible for regulating transit and collecting tolls within the Strait of Hormuz.

International Group of 12 P&I Clubs

An association of marine insurance clubs that provide liability coverage to the majority of the world's ocean-going tonnage.

CENTCOM

The United States military command responsible for operations in the Middle East and the security of regional maritime corridors.

The details

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority developed this blacklist to punish vessels that utilized northern or southern corridors of the Strait of Hormuz without paying Iranian transit fees. By targeting the marine insurance and classification sector, the authority attempts to force a change in operational behavior for vessels that lack official transit permission. The conflict has already resulted in physical losses, notably the destruction of the vessel RIESCO by CENTCOM forces on September 8.

Timeline

  1. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority launched its operations in mid-May 2026.

  2. The first tranche of the blacklist was released on August 24, 2026.

  3. The vessel RIESCO was destroyed by CENTCOM on September 8, 2026.

  4. The third tranche of the blacklist was released on September 14, 2026.

Market Landscape

This development follows the established pattern of maritime power struggles for control over the Strait of Hormuz transit lanes. The current move marks a shift toward using financial blacklisting as an administrative mechanism to influence commercial shipping behavior in the region.

Operators managing or insuring vessels in the Persian Gulf should review their current insurance standing against the newly released blacklist. Procurement teams should anticipate potential delays or increased vetting requirements for cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz in the coming months.

The takeaway

The move suggests a concerted effort to leverage marine insurance compliance to gain control over regional transit lanes. Operators should audit their current fleet's status against the tranches released through September 14 to avoid unforeseen operational sanctions.

Further reading

For more on the shipping industry, see our coverage of Oil and Gas.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Hellenic Shipping News.

Live Poll

Should commercial ships be expected to pay tolls to regional authorities in international transit straits?