2 Dozen Iranian-Linked Tankers Linger off Johor as 42 Oil Transfers Exploit Malaysian Gaps
Updated
Updated · Fortune · May 13
2 Dozen Iranian-Linked Tankers Linger off Johor as 42 Oil Transfers Exploit Malaysian Gaps
7 articles · Updated · Fortune · May 13
Two dozen Iranian-linked tankers were anchored or loitering near the Eastern Outer Port Limits off Johor on Tuesday, according to UANI, which said the area remains active for sanctioned oil transfers despite a U.S. blockade begun in mid-April.
UANI says 42 ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian oil have taken place there since Feb. 28, with cargoes largely headed to China, which buys about 90% of Iran’s oil.
Malaysia’s maritime agency rejected claims it ignored the trade, saying many transfers occur outside territorial waters, beyond radar coverage and near maritime boundaries that create jurisdictional gaps and limit enforcement.
Indonesia is now reviewing the legality of activity near its Riau Archipelago border, while Malaysia pointed to an earlier seizure of two vessels carrying 2 million barrels in its territorial waters.
The dispute underscores how Iran’s shadow fleet still uses aging ships, disabled tracking and opaque ownership to keep crude moving through one of the world’s busiest sea lanes.
With China as the top buyer, can U.S. sanctions ever truly stop Iran's billion-dollar shadow oil trade?
As ghost tankers trade sanctioned oil, is Malaysia unable to act or simply unwilling to look?
How does a secret fleet of aging tankers operate a global oil trade in plain sight of the world?