Iranian Super Tanker Evades US Blockade

A large Iranian oil tanker has reportedly reached the Asia–Pacific region after evading a United States Navy blockade, according to maritime tracking data cited by TankerTrackers.com.

The vessel, named “Huge”, is owned by Iran’s National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC). It is carrying approximately 1.9 million barrels of crude oil, valued at around 220 million US dollars at current market prices.

Tracking and movement

TankerTrackers.com, which monitors global shipping movements, stated on social media platform X that the vessel had last been sighted more than a week ago off the coast of Sri Lanka. It is now believed to be transiting through Indonesia’s Lombok Strait and heading towards the Riau Islands region.

The organisation also noted that on 20 March the tanker departed from the Strait of Malacca en route to Iran. Following its departure, its Automatic Identification System (AIS) was switched off. AIS is a standard maritime safety system that transmits a ship’s identity, position, speed and course to other vessels and coastal authorities. When deactivated, it becomes significantly more difficult to track a vessel’s movements in real time.

According to the same reporting, the vessel was still in Iranian waters when the United States Navy announced a blockade of Iranian ports on 13 April.

Claims and counterclaims

Iranian state media claimed on 29 April that at least 52 Iranian-linked vessels had successfully broken through the US blockade. However, US military officials have stated that since the beginning of the blockade operation, at least 41 Iran-related vessels have been compelled to alter their course.

US officials further maintain that the blockade has been effective in restricting Iran’s maritime oil exports, asserting that it has already resulted in losses amounting to several billion US dollars for Tehran.

Washington has also argued that continued restrictions on Iranian ports could eventually force a halt in oil production if storage capacity is exhausted, preventing further stockpiling.

Key details of the voyage

The situation highlights continuing tensions surrounding maritime enforcement measures and Iran’s oil export network, with both sides presenting conflicting accounts of the blockade’s effectiveness.

Source: Al Jazeera