Hong Kong-flagged oil tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

AVA 6 passage marks at least the second transit of a China-linked tanker through the strait since the US military operation began2-MIN READ2-MIN4ListenPublished: 2:29pm, 17 Apr 2026Updated: 2:34pm, 17 Apr 2026An oil tanker sailing under the flag of Hong Kong has passed through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Gulf of Oman in what appears to be a test of the US blockade targeting vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports, according to a maritime data firm.The tanker, AVA 6, departed from a port in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Beijing time. It passed through the Strait of Hormuz sometime between 4am and 2pm on Thursday, according to data from Mingkun Technology, a Chinese maritime information provider based in Chongqing.The transit of the tanker was also recorded by vessel-tracking website MarineTraffic, which showed the oil and chemical tanker AVA 6 was in the Gulf of Oman as of Friday. Trump announces US blockade of Strait of Hormuz, warns Iranians of being ‘blown to hell’Trump announces US blockade of Strait of Hormuz, warns Iranians of being ‘blown to hell’The registered owner of AVA 6 is the Hong Kong-based Standwill Shipping Ltd, according to shipping data and software firm MagicPort.