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The United States has announced new sanctions targeting multiple vessels and entities tied to Iran’s shadow fleet.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, a shadow fleet is basically a network of ships that operate outside standard international regulations to secretly transport sanctioned goods, in this case Iranian oil and petrochemical products. These vessels typically reflag under obscure jurisdictions, turn off transponders to avoid detection, conduct ship-to-ship transfers at sea, and use fraudulent documentation to disguise cargo origin. Iran uses this method to evade US and international sanctions that severely restrict its ability to sell oil on global markets. The strategy is similar to what Russia has adopted following its own wave of sanctions.
What’s going on now: The United States Treasury confirmed new sanctions targeting nine vessels and eight companies that US officials say are central to Iran’s covert “shadow fleet,” which is used to move oil and petroleum products in violation of international sanctions. These vessels, owned or managed by firms based in the UAE, India, Oman, Seychelles, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands, have reportedly transported hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian crude oil, LPG, fuel oil, methanol, and naphtha to foreign markets. Treasury officials say many of these entities were specifically established to own and operate single vessels, allowing Iran to mask its role in the shipments.
The Treasury Department tied the sanctions directly to the Iranian regime’s violent response to domestic protests. In a statement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “Today’s sanctions target a critical component of how Iran generates the funds used to repress its own people. The Iranian regime is engaged in a ritual of economic self-immolation… Treasury will continue to track the tens of millions of dollars that the regime has stolen and is desperately attempting to wire to banks outside of Iran.”
The State Department echoed this position, stating that the action would “further restrict Iran’s ability to export petroleum and petroleum products through obscure and fraudulent mechanisms, and will further constrain its ability to bankroll the repression of Iranians and international malign behavior.”
These newly designated entities include Horizon Harvest Shipping LLC (UAE), Aayat Ship Management Private Limited (India), Black Stone Oil and Gas (Oman), Galeran Service Corp (Seychelles), Longevity Shipping Limited (Marshall Islands), Odyssey Marine Inc. (Marshall Islands), Benoil Shipping Inc. (Liberia), and Trade Bridge Global Inc. (Marshall Islands). The sanctioned ships include the SEA BIRD, AVON, AL DIAB II, CESARIA, LONGEVITY 7, EASTERN HERO, AQUA SPIRIT, CHIRON 5, and KEEL.
