Iran's Kharg Island. [Reuters]
Iran's Kharg Island. [Reuters]

Oil loading at Kharg Island, Iran's main crude export hub, has been suspended for at least a week due to a US naval blockade, the Financial Times reported Friday.

The island has been shut down since July 31, according to the report. Maritime intelligence firm Windward said satellite imagery showed all three of the island's crude loading berths have remained consistently empty. As of Tuesday, only 16 vessels were anchored in the waters off Kharg Island, the lowest level since early last month.

Iran had maintained crude exports through Kharg Island throughout the war, but such a prolonged halt is extremely rare, the Financial Times said.

Richard Bronze, head of geopolitics at Energy Aspects, said the US blockade was proving effective, citing the near-total absence of tanker traffic in and out of the island.

The disruption to Iran's crude exports is unlikely to weaken Tehran's hand in negotiations, the Financial Times said.

"Iran clearly believes it holds the advantage on the Strait of Hormuz question," Bronze said, "and is willing to endure considerable economic pain to press that advantage."

Meanwhile, the United States resumed its naval blockade of Iran in mid-July, cutting off vessels bound for its coastline.

On July 15, CENTCOM fired a missile at the smokestack of the oil tanker M/T Belma after it attempted to breach the blockade and head for Kharg Island, disabling the vessel.


sjpark@heraldcorp.com