Tankers under U.S. sanctions, pretending to be Iraqi vessels, are transporting significant amounts of Iranian crude oil amidst President Trump’s efforts to enforce a strict port blockade aimed at Iran’s oil supply, according to maritime intelligence insights.
Recently, a group of sanctioned tankers was reported to have altered their locations to make it seem like they were moored near Iraq while they were actually loading crude oil at an Iranian port. The firm Windward AI identified several tankers, including Alicia, RHN, Star Forest, and Aqua, all trying to hide their true activities. These four Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) can collectively store around 8 million barrels of oil, which could value about $800 million at a price of $100 per barrel.
On the same day, President Trump announced that Iran would face a naval blockade until it agrees to address U.S. concerns regarding its nuclear ambitions. The U.S. is insisting that Iran halt its uranium enrichment program, which Tehran argues is a matter of national sovereignty and non-negotiable, leaving little avenue for compromise.
Windward AI noted a “cluster” of tankers disguising their positions west of the Strait of Hormuz. They indicated that while the blockade restricts Iranian ports, about ten U.S.-sanctioned Iranian tankers were making their AIS (Automatic Identification System) signals appear as if they were anchored off Basra, Iraq, concealing their real destination of loading unauthorized oil in Iran.
According to the intelligence firm, these vessels are effectively creating a digital cover, sending false messages about their intended destinations to make them look legitimate while actually heading to Iran. Once they’ve loaded their cargo, they switch back to showing Iranian origins.
Since the U.S. blockade began on April 13, there have been measures rolled out to progressively limit Iranian oil exports and economic activities, starting with naval deployments. As of Wednesday, Windward noted that over 20 tankers were being held back west of the Hormuz Strait, resulting in a dramatic decrease—more than half—in Iranian oil loading and exports.
Windward mentioned specific incidents of tankers, such as Paola and Adena, which were linked to licensed networks while claiming to be under Iraqi ownership. Furthermore, the firm reported that several medium-range tankers exhibited erratic navigation patterns, indicative of potentially loading at Iraq’s Khor al-Zubair.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Mohammad Ghalibaf criticized U.S. officials, including the Treasury Secretary, blaming them for rising oil prices due to poor advice. He made a comment that even after a particular event, there weren’t any explosions, indicating ongoing frustrations with the situation.
