Iran is still able to export oil despite all the international sanctions and pressure in the Strait of Hormuz. This is because Iran is using a group of secret tankers that maritime analysts call a “dark fleet”. These tankers operate in hidden networks near the waters of Malaysia.
The Associated Press did an investigation. Found out that many ship-to-ship oil transfers are happening near the southern part of Malaysia in a place called Johor. This has been going on since the conflict between the US and Iran started this year.
Satellite pictures show that at least 42 secret oil transfers have taken place near the South China Sea. This is an important route for ships to travel between the Middle East and China. China is the buyer of Iran’s oil exports.
Analysts say that Iran’s plan to avoid sanctions depends on using tankers that are owned secretly. These tankers often change their names and flags. They turn off their tracking devices so they cannot be found.
When oil is transferred from one ship to another in the water, it is hard to know where the oil originally came from. This is a part of Irans system. Experts also say that some ships fake their tracking signals or change their shipping papers. Sometimes they even mix oil with oil from other places before delivering it to customers.
The waters near Malaysia are a place for these secret transfers because they are located on a busy shipping route between the Gulf region and East Asia.
Even though people are criticising them, the authorities in Malaysia say that many of these operations are happening in the waters, so they are not directly responsible. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency says that the ships involved in these operations often turn off their tracking systems and work at night to avoid being caught.
This is a concern for people who care about maritime safety because using old ships and not supervising the transfers can cause oil spills and accidents in busy waters.
There have been reports that at least two dozen tankers linked to Iran were seen near the transfer zones off Johor. This shows that Iran’s oil export network is still working despite the US sanctions and pressure.
Indonesia, which is a neighbouring country, is also paying attention to this issue. Officials are looking into the legality of some shipping activities near the borders they share with Malaysia.
Analysts say that Iran’s secret tankers show how the country is using its networks and alternative shipping methods to keep its oil revenues safe. This is happening while Iran is dealing with a lot of geopolitical pressure. Iran is still finding ways to export oil. This is a big part of its strategy.
