Three Iranian Oil Tankers Navigate Out of the Gulf Amid US Blockade
Three Iranian oil tankers, loaded with a combined total of five million barrels of crude oil, have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz. This marks the first time since the start of a US blockade that loaded tankers have left the Gulf. The tracking firm Kpler reported this development to AFP on Friday.
The tankers, named Deep Sea, Sonia I, and Diona, all subject to US sanctions, departed from Iran’s Kharg Island after loading their cargo on April 2, 8, and 9 respectively. They crossed the important strait on Wednesday, despite the US-imposed blockade aimed at halting Iranian oil exports.
Prior to this, no Iranian tanker had sailed through the Strait of Hormuz carrying crude since the Starla left on April 10. Interestingly, maritime tracking systems have not provided recent data from the tankers’ AIS transponders, as they are currently turned off. The last known position of these ships was approximately a month ago in the Strait of Malacca.
Kpler utilized satellite imagery to verify the tankers’ journey, confirming their passage through the strait. While the current destinations of these vessels remain unclear, they have historically transported their cargoes to the Singapore area. Reports suggest that in this region, ship-to-ship transfers often occur, with shipments then heading to China.
