A Pakistan-flagged tanker has become the first vessel to exit the Strait of Hormuz with a crude cargo since the US blockade began on Monday, highlighting the severe disruption to global oil flows. The Shalamar, an Aframax tanker, sailed past Iran's Larak island late Thursday with approximately 450,000 barrels of crude loaded at Das Island in the United Arab Emirates.

The tanker's journey underscores how traffic through the vital chokepoint remains severely limited under the new restrictions. The vessel, only half full, is signaling Karachi as its destination, marking a rare successful transit during the blockade. Ship-tracking data reveals the tanker's path south of Larak island before entering the Gulf of Oman.

This limited movement through Hormuz comes as the US continues its blockade operations in the Persian Gulf. The Shalamar's successful exit represents a notable exception to the restricted maritime traffic, though the half-empty tanker suggests operators remain cautious about fully loading vessels during this period of heightened tensions and uncertainty.