To Evade Sanctions on Iran, Ships Vanish in Plain Sight
By News
Published 5 years ago on
July 2, 2019
Share
[aggregation-styles]
The New York Times
The New York Times
A week ago, a small tanker ship approached the Persian Gulf after a 19-day voyage from China. The captain, as required by international rules, reported the ship’s position, course, speed and another key detail: It was riding high in the water, meaning it was probably empty.
Then the Chinese-owned ship, the Sino Energy 1, went silent and essentially vanished from the grid.
It reported in again on Sunday, near the spot where it had vanished six days earlier, only now it was heading east, away from the Strait of Hormuz near Iran. If past patterns hold, the captain will soon report that it is riding low in the water, meaning its tanks are most likely full.
As the Trump administration’s sanctions on Iranian oil and petrochemical products have taken hold, some of the world’s shipping fleets have defied the restrictions by “going dark” when they pick up cargo in Iranian ports, according to commercial analysts who track shipping data and intelligence from authorities in Israel, a country that backs the Trump crackdown.
Then the Chinese-owned ship, the Sino Energy 1, went silent and essentially vanished from the grid.
It reported in again on Sunday, near the spot where it had vanished six days earlier, only now it was heading east, away from the Strait of Hormuz near Iran. If past patterns hold, the captain will soon report that it is riding low in the water, meaning its tanks are most likely full.
As the Trump administration’s sanctions on Iranian oil and petrochemical products have taken hold, some of the world’s shipping fleets have defied the restrictions by “going dark” when they pick up cargo in Iranian ports, according to commercial analysts who track shipping data and intelligence from authorities in Israel, a country that backs the Trump crackdown.
By Michael Forsythe & Ronen Bergman | 1 July 2019
RELATED TOPICS:
No data was found
Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case
News /
13 hours ago
CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?
Economy /
14 hours ago
Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Sets a Record After Wall Streets Breaks Out of Its Lull
Economy /
14 hours ago
House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4
Politics /
14 hours ago
Bredefeld, Smittcamp Debate the Salary of Valley Children’s CEO
Politics /
14 hours ago
CA’s Liberal Government Has a Long History of Caving to Special Interests
Opinion /
14 hours ago
Police Had About 90 Seconds to Stop Traffic Before Baltimore Bridge Fell. 6 Workers Are Feared Dead
News /
16 hours ago
NBC Has Cut Ties With Former RNC Head Ronna McDaniel After Employee Objections, Some on the Air
Politics /
16 hours ago
Here Are Some Numbers That Will Help You Get Your March Madness Fix for the Sweet 16
Latest /
16 hours ago
Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine has sunk or disabled a third of all Russian warships in the Black Sea in just over two years of war, the navy spokes...
World /
7 hours ago
Categories
Latest
Videos
World /
7 hours ago
Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled
Business /
11 hours ago
Wired Wednesday: How Going to Work for Trump Turned Devin Nunes Into a Millionaire
Latest /
12 hours ago
Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82
News /
13 hours ago
Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case
Economy /
14 hours ago
CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?
Economy /
14 hours ago
Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Sets a Record After Wall Streets Breaks Out of Its Lull
Politics /
14 hours ago
House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4
Politics /
14 hours ago
Bredefeld, Smittcamp Debate the Salary of Valley Children’s CEO
Business /
11 hours ago
Wired Wednesday: How Going to Work for Trump Turned Devin Nunes Into a Millionaire
Video /
1 week ago
News Minute: Snell’s $62M Giants Contract, Boomtown Clovis, Banksy’s Latest Mural
Latest /
1 week ago