Iranian VLCCs pass through Lombok Strait after evading US blockade
Updated
Updated · Asia Times · May 7
Iranian VLCCs pass through Lombok Strait after evading US blockade
9 articles · Updated · Asia Times · May 7
The tankers HUGE and DERYA carried 3.8 million barrels of crude this weekend toward the Riau Archipelago, a transfer hub for cargoes later shipped to China.
The report says the deeper, less-monitored Lombok route adds only days to voyages and could become more attractive as US interdictions around Hormuz disrupt supplies to Asian buyers.
It also warns the passage may heighten pressure on Indonesia, amid reports of proposed US overflight access and fears enforcement could expand toward the Malacca Strait.
With its naval blockade failing, can US airpower truly sever the illicit oil lifeline between Iran and China?
Beyond warships and sanctions, how is the shadow oil trade reshaping Southeast Asia's maritime economy and alliances?
As superpowers clash over its waters, can Indonesia’s balancing act prevent it from becoming the next battleground?