While much of the recent focus has been on crude oil and dry bulk, chemical tanker activity in the region reveals a more nuanced picture of disruption. Based on our latest AIS-derived data, a total of 52 chemical tankers are currently positioned west of the Strait of Hormuz, within the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. A further 13 vessels are located east of the Strait, in the Gulf of Oman.

Within the Gulf itself, 34 vessels are assessed as laden and five as ballasting. An additional 13 vessels present mixed or conflicting signals across different detection methods and are therefore classified as having uncertain status, reflecting the ongoing challenges of interpreting vessel activity in a disrupted AIS environment.

Across the 34 laden vessels, we estimate total cargo onboard at approximately 749,000 metric tonnes. Of this, around 166,500 tonnes consist of caustic soda, 122,000 tonnes of methanol, and approximately 14,000 tonnes of other chemical cargoes, bringing total chemical cargo to roughly 302,500 tonnes. The remaining 446,500 tonnes are made up of clean petroleum products.

It is important to note that chemical tankers typically operate in parcel trades, meaning a single vessel may carry multiple cargoes simultaneously across segregated tanks, adding complexity to cargo attribution.

 AIS signal disruption remains a defining feature of the current operating environment. At present, 11 vessels are assessed as having their AIS switched off or spoofed, while 41 continue to transmit actively. The peak level of disruption was observed on 15 March, when 37 vessels were effectively “dark” compared to just 15 transmitting signals.

Perhaps most notably, vessel movement remains extremely limited. No chemical tankers have entered the Persian Gulf since 1 March. Over the same period, only four vessels have exited the region: SONGA NEPTUNE and BOW SUMMER on 1 March, followed by LORA on 16 March and RAMYA on 21 March.

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