Investigative group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) has released covert footage of an Iranian ‘ghost fleet’ tanker, the SOGL, successfully evading the U.S. naval blockade and en route to China carrying sanctioned liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The SOGL loaded approximately 500,000 barrels of LPG from Iran in late August, breached the U.S. blockade, and proceeded to a Malaysian offshore anchorage known as the EOPL. At this critical staging ground, the tanker received fuel and other services offshore before continuing its journey to China, where UANI asserts it discharged its illicit cargo. This operation highlights a sophisticated evasion tactic where small tankers, often disabling their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders and flying false flags to appear stateless, utilize offshore hubs like the EOPL for ship-to-ship transfers and resupply, thereby circumventing U.S. naval patrols that primarily focus on larger crude oil carriers. While the U.S. blockade has been largely effective against major Iranian oil exports, these smaller vessels exploit the complexities and risks associated with volatile cargoes like LPG, representing a persistent challenge to sanctions enforcement and a vital lifeline for Iran’s energy trade, with China being the primary destination, importing nearly 100% of Iran’s oil and LPG exports at significantly discounted prices.
Adapted from: Latest World News on Fox News
