Iranian tankers filmed evading US blockade to reach China

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 2 Nov, 09:46 · Archive

Small Iranian tankers are slipping past US naval restrictions to smuggle sanctioned fuel to China via Malaysia, investigators say.

Small Iranian 'ghost fleet' tankers are slipping past the US naval blockade carrying sanctioned liquefied petroleum gas to China via a Malaysian offshore anchorage, according to United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). The organisation conducted a months-long investigation that included covertly filming one vessel in September.

UANI identified the tanker SOGL as carrying approximately 500,000 barrels of Iranian LPG. It loaded from Assaluyeh Port in Iran in late August and breached the blockade on 1 September before travelling thousands of miles to the Malaysian Eastern Outer Port Limits Anchorage (EOPL), located about 70 kilometres from Malaysia's coastline. UANI filmed the vessel receiving fuel and services offshore before it continued to China, where the organisation said it discharged its Iranian cargo.

Jemima Shelley, a senior analyst at UANI, stated that whilst most vessels are not managing to breach the blockade, 'some vessels are managing to breach the US maritime blockade'. Since the reinstatement of the blockade in mid-July, UANI has identified at least nine small tankers successfully departing the Gulf of Oman laden with oil or LPG. The Malaysian anchorage has become a critical staging ground for Iran's sanctioned energy trade with China, Shelley said.

How it is being reported

• Iranian ‘ghost fleet’ filmed evading US blockade en route to China, UANI saysUnited Against Nuclear Iran documented the SOGL carrying 500,000 barrels of sanctioned Iranian LPG destined for Xinzhou Port, China.New York Post · 2 Nov, 09:33
• Iranian ‘ghost fleet’ filmed evading US blockade en route to China, UANI saysSmaller Iranian ghost fleet tankers are slipping past the U.S. naval blockade carrying sanctioned LPG fuel to China via a shadowy Malaysia anchorage.Fox News · 1 Nov, 23:28

In this story: Iran · China · United States · Malaysia · United Against Nuclear Iran · SOGL

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