US investigators covertly filmed an Iranian 'ghost fleet' tanker successfully evading the US naval blockade to smuggle sanctioned liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to China, revealing a persistent breach in sanctions enforcement through a maritime hub off Malaysia.
A months-long investigation by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) has uncovered how small Iranian 'ghost fleet' tankers are circumventing the US naval blockade to smuggle sanctioned liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and oil to China. UANI covertly filmed one such vessel, the SOGL, in September, which had loaded 500,000 barrels of Iranian LPG from Assaluyeh Port, breached the US blockade, and traveled thousands of miles to the Malaysian Eastern Outer Port Limits (EOPL) anchorage. At the EOPL, a critical staging ground for Iran's sanctioned energy trade, the SOGL received fuel and services before continuing to Xinzhou Port, China, to discharge its cargo. These 'ghost fleet' tankers employ tactics like turning off Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders, flying false flags, and conducting high-risk ship-to-ship transfers, exploiting the US's primary focus on larger crude oil vessels. While the US blockade has largely succeeded in preventing Iranian crude oil exports, nine small tankers have reportedly breached it since its reinstatement in July, largely carrying LPG. China has become the dominant destination for nearly 100% of Iran's liquid cargo exports, providing Tehran with a vital economic outlet and Beijing with discounted energy. The SOGL, identified by IMO number 9208227, was subsequently added to the US Treasury Department's sanctions list on October 8 for its alleged involvement in transporting Iranian petroleum products.
