The "Rich Starry" vessel would be the first to pass through the strait and leave the Gulf since the blockade began, according to data from LSEG, MarineTraffic, and Kpler. The tanker and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, are under U.S. sanctions for dealings with Iran. The company could not be immediately reached for comment. The "Rich Starry" is a medium-range tanker carrying about 250,000 barrels of methanol, based on available data. The cargo was loaded at the last port of call, Hamriyah in the United Arab Emirates. Data also shows that the tanker is Chinese-owned and has a Chinese crew. Iran allows passage through the Strait of Hormuz to ships that pay a customs fee, which amounts to about two million dollars. Payment is made in cryptocurrencies. U.S. President Donald Trump imposed his blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by ordering a ban on ships leaving Iranian ports or paying Iran for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.