Maritime data firm Windward reports that radar imagery from August 1 shows all three oil export terminals on Iran's Kharg Island empty. The western terminal has been idle for 14 consecutive days, the LNG terminal for five days. In the nearby holding area, 19 tankers have their Automatic Identification Systems disabled, up from 17 two days earlier, indicating continued pressure on Iranian oil exports amid the US-led blockade, according to the report.
Maritime data analysis firm Windward has released new satellite radar imagery showing that all three oil export terminals on Iran's Kharg Island were empty as of August 1, according to a report circulated by the source Iran News. The data indicates that the western terminal has been idle for 14 consecutive days, while the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal has been empty for five days. In the waiting area near the island, 19 tankers are currently loitering with their Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) disabled, up from 17 two days earlier — a sign that vessels are either awaiting loading opportunities or attempting to evade maritime surveillance.
The findings provide a concrete window into the effectiveness of the US-led naval blockade targeting Iranian oil exports, which has been a central element of the broader confrontation between Washington and Tehran since March 2026. Previous reports tracked by The Zioneer have documented both the tightening of the blockade and the accumulation of oil on tankers in Iranian waters. TankerTrackers reported on June 22 that Iran had exported over 36 million barrels of crude since June 15, while Bloomberg reported on July 8 that 63 million barrels of Iranian oil were stranded on tankers after the US canceled a waiver. The Kharg Island terminal complex, Iran's primary crude export hub, has been a recurring focus of these reports.
The data from Windward, a commercial maritime analytics firm, is based on radar imagery from satellites — a method that can detect vessels independently of their AIS signals. The number of tankers with AIS disabled in the holding area represents a 12% increase over two days, suggesting that the blockade is continuing to restrict Iran's ability to move its oil to international markets. The veracity of the radar imagery and the analysis could not be independently confirmed by The Zioneer, but the report is consistent with the broader trend of increasing pressure on Iranian oil exports.
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