Iran Tanker Update – November 2019

November again saw a flurry of Iranian ships steaming through the Suez Canal and then immediately switching off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking transponders -- a typical method to avoid detection and sanctions enforcement as they seek to unload oil to the Syrian regime. Between August 2018 to July 2019 Syria received 17 million barrels of Iranian crude, according to Tanker Trackers. Of course, Iranian authorities have not been shy to brag of their ongoing efforts to keep their oil exports flowing.

Nonetheless, according to Bloomberg Tanker Tracking, ‘observed’ shipments of Iranian crude were just 100k barrels per day in November, the lowest recorded figure (that is liable to increase as ships begin to send signals once they reach Malaysia’s Strait of Malacca or the Suez Canal).

One of the Iranian ships going to Syria currently is the Aframax vessel SAFOORA (formerly BONITA QUEEN), which picked up 600,000 barrels of crude oil on August 2, 2019 from Kharg Island. It is now traversing the Suez Canal with crude oil seemingly en-route to Syria. This oil left Iran’s Kharg Island in August but had not left Iran until November. The vessel also changed flags and names to avoid the possibility of an arrest in August 2019.

SAFOORA departed Iran on November 3. Three weeks later, on November 28, SAFOORA turned off its AIS transponder as it exited the Suez Canal bound for Syria.

(Sources: Bloomberg L.P., Mapbox, OpenStreetMap)

Another vessel of interest during November is the crude oil tanker ROMINA (formerly MARSHAL Z). In mid-September, Lebanon-based Meamed International SAL offshore became the registered owner and commercial manager of ROMINA, two weeks after the tanker was renamed and reflagged by Iran.

ROMINA has been on the U.S. government radar for its illicit activities. On March 25, 2019, the US Treasury included the vessel on a list of tankers that have carried out ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of petroleum destined for Syria, including STS transfers with the sanctioned vessel ADRIAN DARYA 1.

Tracking AIS signal data for this vessel has proven tricky. Over the last month, ROMINA broadcasted its destination as Oman. However, the locations from which the vessel has broadcasted its destination have switched several times from China to Oman. UANI will continue to monitor this odd behavior.

(Sources: Bloomberg L.P., Mapbox, OpenStreetMap)

As expected, Iran continued to export large quantities of crude to China and Syria during November. NITC tanker DAN, which we reported on in October, appears to have delivered the rest of its contents to the Zhoushan port in China. As previously reported, on November 2, 2019, DAN made a delivery to Huizhou, China, and turned its AIS off. On November 9, 2019, DAN reappeared at the Zhoushan port, China. On November 15, DAN appeared to offload the rest of its contents to Zhoushan port, as indicated by a draft change from 11.2 to 7.

(Sources: Bloomberg L.P., Mapbox, OpenStreetMap)

The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) tanker SINOPA appeared at Khor Fakkan, UAE, on November 7, 2019, with a draft of 9.2. The vessel turned off its AIS on November 9, 2019, as it departed for Kharg Island. On November 29, 2019, the vessel reappeared on the Suez Canal with a draft now at 15.9 destined for what is likely to be another delivery to Syria. Like SAFOORA, on November 28, 2019, SINOPA turned off its AIS transponder as it exited the Suez Canal.

(Sources: Bloomberg L.P., Mapbox, OpenStreetMap)

Additional Iranian crude oil tankers that UANI has been monitoring this month include:

• STREAM - appeared on November 25, 2019, near Donggang port, China (Draft at 8)
• DERYA - departed Fujairah, UAE, on November 3, 2019, with a draft of 19. On November 14, 2019. DERYA appeared in the Strait of Malacca destined for Huizhou, China, then disappeared east of Singapore two days later. On November 21, 2019, DERYA arrived at Huizhou port, where it currently remains with its draft still at 19.
• NASHA -last seen in Iran in October 2019, appeared near China on November 27, 2019.
• HORSE – switched off its AIS transponder since July 21, 2019, when it was last seen in Iran. On November 23, 2019, HORSE reappeared in the Strait of Malacca full with a draft at 20.5. This vessel will likely make a delivery to China or conduct a STS transfer with a vessel destined for China.  
• SERENA - last seen on November 16, 2019, reporting it is destined for Shanghai.
• SOBAR – appeared in the Strait of Malacca on November 5, 2019, with a draft of 16.7, then disappeared east of Singapore later the same day. SOBAR reappeared east of Singapore on November 10, 2019, most likely after completing a STS transfer.
• SONIA I – appeared in the Strait of Malacca on November 10, 2019, with a draft of 16.5, and disappeared east of Singapore the next day.
• SEVIN – appeared in the Strait of Malacca but on November 13, 2019, with a draft of 16.5, and disappeared east of Singapore the next day.