China is secretly buying Iranian oil and evading US sanctions by using a 'dark fleet' of tankers conducting ship-to-ship transfers in international waters, reports CBS News.
Four transfers in progress off were observed off the coast of Malaysia in the Riau archipelago, where tankers sail from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Malacca. Ships switch off transponders and conceal identification numbers with tarps to avoid detection.
Charlie Brown, a former US Navy officer and senior adviser to United Against Nuclear Iran, described the area as 'dark fleet parking central.' He identified the Tifani and Stellar Oracle as known tankers involved in the trade. The Stellar Oracle was sanctioned by the US Treasury in May.
Another transfer involved the Alps - a pseudonym for a sanctioned vessel - and the Eon, which was not previously listed but was caught in the act. Twelve transfers were recorded in one day, an unprecedented number.
According to a congressional report, the trade has generated up to US$70 billion for Iran, supporting its nuclear programme. The US has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions, but china does not recognize them and maintains its trade with Iran is legitimate.
SeaNews Turkey
Four transfers in progress off were observed off the coast of Malaysia in the Riau archipelago, where tankers sail from the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Malacca. Ships switch off transponders and conceal identification numbers with tarps to avoid detection.
Charlie Brown, a former US Navy officer and senior adviser to United Against Nuclear Iran, described the area as 'dark fleet parking central.' He identified the Tifani and Stellar Oracle as known tankers involved in the trade. The Stellar Oracle was sanctioned by the US Treasury in May.
Another transfer involved the Alps - a pseudonym for a sanctioned vessel - and the Eon, which was not previously listed but was caught in the act. Twelve transfers were recorded in one day, an unprecedented number.
According to a congressional report, the trade has generated up to US$70 billion for Iran, supporting its nuclear programme. The US has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions, but china does not recognize them and maintains its trade with Iran is legitimate.
SeaNews Turkey
