Iranian Crude Shipment En Route to China

A massive shipment of Iranian crude oil valued at nearly US$1 billion is currently heading toward China after utilizing deceptive shipping practices off the coast of Southeast Asia, according to maritime intelligence reports.

Maritime tracking firm Windward reported that nine Iranian oil tankers, all currently under U.S. sanctions, deactivated their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders—a practice known as “going dark”—while positioned off the coast of Malaysia.

According to data from energy analytics firm Vortexa, these vessels are collectively transporting an Iranian crude oil cargo valued at approximately US$989 million, with China designated as the final destination.

The maneuver is a well-documented tactic used to evade international sanctions and obscure the origin of oil exports. - Kayhan