Zombie Ships Hormuz: Two scrapped tankers reappear on Tehran Toll Booth route
Two tankers identified as ‘zombie’ ships have reappeared in the Strait of Hormuz, taking the Tehran Toll Booth route that runs between Qeshm and Larak islands, and joining a growing detour pattern that began this weekend. zombie ships hormuz were among dozens of vessels shifting into Iranian territorial waters where the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is understood to be verifying details and, in some cases, extolling passage fees. The movement comes as transit volume through the chokepoint showed a recent uptick.
Zombie Ships Hormuz: Tehran Toll Booth route
Data compiled over the recent days shows at least 16 vessel transits across the Strait of Hormuz since Friday, with a majority routed through Iranian territorial waters. Twelve transits were tracked on Automatic Identification System data as taking the new corridor between Qeshm and Larak islands. More than 20 vessels of over 10, 000 dwt have chosen the detour so far, and the pattern includes not only tankers but also bulk carriers and gas carriers. An Iran-flagged bulker transited the strait but stopped near Larak Island.
Expanding details and payments
Among vessels using the corridor were two tankers described as operating under the identities of dead vessels — the so-called ‘zombie’ tankers — and at least two vessels that transited are understood to have paid for safe passage, with one fee reported to be around $2 million. Twelve of the recent transits were tracked AIS on the Tehran Toll Booth route; three had insufficient AIS data to assess their route or transit date with confidence. The strait’s traffic remains dramatically reduced amid an ongoing conflict that has produced more than 20 maritime incidents involving commercial vessels and offshore infrastructure since February 28.
Immediate reactions from institutions
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is understood to be verifying vessel details within the corridor and, in some instances, extolling passage fees. India’s Ministry of Shipping said two India-flagged very large gas carriers transited the strait while signalling Indian ownership AIS; those ships were carrying over 92, 600 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas and were scheduled to reach ports in India between March 26 and March 28. Diplomatic negotiations tied to Strait of Hormuz security remain unclear.
Quick context
The detour runs between Iran’s Qeshm and Larak islands and has been nicknamed the Tehran Toll Booth because of the verification and fee activity. Shortages of LPG in India have driven negotiations that coincided with the use of the new corridor.
What’s next
Expect further use of the Tehran Toll Booth corridor while diplomatic channels sort ownership signals and security guarantees; more vessels may follow the recent pattern as states seek cargo delivery amid reduced alternative options. The appearance of zombie ships hormuz in the corridor underlines the operational complexity and the financial and legal questions that will shape vessel movements in the coming days.
