Tanker Tracking

Despite U.S. determination to crack down on Iran’s petrochemical exports, which provide the second biggest source of revenue to the regime after oil, some companies and ports in Brazil continue to purchase Iranian petrochemicals.  

When the second big round of Iran sanctions was reimposed in November last year, the U.S. added 199 Iranian vessels to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list.  Despite this, Iran’s sanctioned fleet of container ships, bulk carriers and general cargo vessels continue to call at ports all around the globe – from Bulgaria to Brazil.

After turning its AIS off in the Strait of Hormuz on June 20, on August 14, NITC Crude Oil Tanker SANAN has appeared in the Strait of Malacca with a draft at 15.8 and signaling its location as “FAR EAST FOR ORDER.” It is unusual to see this vessel in the Strait of Malacca, as historically

A critical part of the US “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran is getting the regime’s oil exports to zero.  On May 2, 2019, the Trump administration terminated exemptions waivers to all eight jurisdictions that allowed ongoing imports of Iranian oil for a period of six months. Despite the expiration of these waivers, however, China remains Iran’s biggest crude oil buyer and continues to import Iranian oil to this day.

Despite the expiration of oil waivers on May 5, 2019, Iran continues its candid attempts to export oil to China and appears to be getting critical assistance from Malaysia.