The Ghost Armada
Updated: May 1, 2024
In November 2020, UANI identified 70 foreign vessels suspected of involvement in the illicit transfer of Iranian crude oil and/or petroleum products. Over three years later, the list has grown to 409. This suspected ghost armada, distinct from but complementing Iran’s own NITC tanker fleet, has skirted U.S. sanctions and exploited regulatory loopholes to ship millions of barrels of Iranian oil.
One of the most frequently deployed tactics in evading oil sanctions is “flag hopping.” This involves the repeated switching of a ship’s “flag” – which permits legitimate global travel and docking rights – to different national registries. Often accompanied by the formation of new shell and front companies, ownership and name changes, and even alterations to ships’ physical markings, flag-hopping is a blight on legitimate maritime commerce.
Certain vessel owners are intentionally exploiting flag registries, many of which do not have the capabilities to track the history of vessels or even perform what ought to be rudimentary compliance scans. In fact, some registries are increasingly reliant on UANI for assistance in identifying the suspicious and often illicit behavior of vessels absent their own tracking capabilities and resources.
For example, in a Guardian report from March 23, 2021, the Cook Islands flag registry acknowledged to the journalist, “we just do what they [UANI] tell us.”
In conveying our findings to the world’s flag registries, a majority have taken appropriate measures and de-flagged these vessels. Others are less responsive, taking months to ‘investigate’ while allowing the vessels to engage in further illicit activity under their flag’s registration.
The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP)
Of the 409 vessels listed below, 38% are currently flagged by the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), one of the world’s biggest and most famous flag registry.
AMP was the second largest flag state for 2023. Given this fact, it might be anticipated that AMP would be a leader in de-flagging vessels that breach sanctions or tamper with vessel-tracking systems. Indeed, AMP director-general Rafael Cigarruista has asserted that AMP is proactive on these issues.
However, UANI has serious doubts regarding the seriousness of Panama’s flag authority on these issues.
By way of illustration, we first alerted AMP to a suspected ship-to-ship (“STS”) transfer of Iranian oil with the Panama-flagged vessel BRIGHT SONIA in October 2020. BRIGHT SONIA remains flagged by Panama today:
Ship Details: BRIGHT SONIA, flagged by Panama (Source: Marine Traffic)
Since October 2020, Bright Sonia is suspected to have engaged in numerous loadings of Iranian oil, transporting an estimated total of 7.3 million barrels of Iranian crude oil. Taking into account the substantial discount Iran offers for crude sales, we estimate this single vessel has filled regime coffers to the tune of $580 million. A big chunk of these proceeds will end up being disbursed for regime terrorist funding, Iranian proxy wars, and Iran’s malign intelligence activities. In neglecting to de-flag BRIGHT SONIA, AMP has seriously abrogated its responsibility.
Responsible Flaggers
On the other hand, there are many responsible authorities such as the St. Kitts and Nevis International Ship Registry (SkanReg), which have de-flagged all eight vessels identified by UANI. Other notable registries with a good track record include the Tanzania-Zanzibar International Register of Shipping, the Maritime Administration of Gabonese Republic, and the Tuvalu Ship Registry.
The Ghost Armada: The List
UANI has compiled a list of vessels suspected to have been involved in the transfer of Iranian crude oil and/or petroleum products, so that the entire community of flag registries may act in concert to “stop the hop.”
In its reply to UANI the Tuvalu Ship Registry suggested: “it is our opinion that vessel registries should make public the information they have relating to vessels and owners that seek to support the Iranian / Syrian regime just as how TSR has done. This will save time and cut out the bureaucracy of signing agreements and surely result in a more effective way of stamping out “flag-hopping”.
UANI agrees and we intend to update this list monthly. We encourage all flag states to routinely check this list to confirm whether vessels suspected of involvement in the illicit transfer of Iranian oil are seeking to register under their flags.
IMO | Vessel Name | Date Added | Current Flag* | Former Flags |
---|---|---|---|---|
9299745 | HS ARGE | LIBERIA | ||
9256975 | TML | PANAMA | ||
9275995 | OCEANIC II | HONG KONG | ||
9258595 | LADY ELISE | COOK ISLANDS | ||
9242481 | CHINTAMANI | GABON | ||
9220914 | BIRDHUM | PALAU | ||
9282522 | BAXTER | BELIZE | ||
9176773 | ANGEL‡ | TANZANIA | ||
9052331 | XAVIA (EX: DOLPHIN (ex CLARA) | SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE) | ||
9204805 | SYRMA (EX: SUMMER 5) | SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE) | TANZANIA, PANAMA | |
9226011 | SINCERE 02 | PANAMA | KIRBATI | |
9232450 | RENEEZ | PALAU | ||
9102239 | PENNY H (ex WU XIAN) | UNKNOWN | TANZANIA | |
9312896 | KRASNOYARSK (EX: NS CREATION) | RUSSIA | GABON, LIBERIA | |
9179701 | INFINITY (EX: NOLAN, OSLO) | GUYANA | PANAMA | |
9203928 | NEBULAX (EX: FOREVER RICH) | PANAMA | HONG KONG | |
9209300 | MOLECULE (EX SALVADOR, GLORY) | CAMEROON | KIRBATI, PALAU | |
9191711 | MEHLE | GUYANA | PANAMA | |
9212759 | LADY SOFIA | PANAMA | ||
9254082 | KOHANA (EX: IRISES) | PANAMA | ||
9143506 | JEWELS (EX: GC PRINCESS, GLORY HARVEST) | TANZANIA | PANAMA | |
9256858 | INDA (EX: LINDA, LADY M, LADY D) | RUSSIA | ||
9203930 | FOUR PLUS (EX: ULTRA VIGAROUS, YING XIN, YONG XIN) | GUYANA | CAMEROON, HONG KONG | |
9257010 | FORTUNE GALAXY | PANAMA | ||
9230907 | ETERNAL FORTUNE | PANAMA | ||
9185530 | DAWN II (EX: SPAR) | PANAMA | ||
9294795 | AVIOR (EX: BS BRAVO) | SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE) | TANZANIA, GABON | |
9150365 | ARTURA | GUYANA | PANAMA | |
9233208 | ANNA (EX: QUEEN SERE, RAIN DROP) | GUYANA | TANZANIA, COOK ISLANDS, PANAMA | |
9157765 | ABYSS | UNKNOWN | PALAU, VIETNAM | |
9018464 | ZULU (EX DOLPHIN)‡ | GUYANA | TANZANIA | |
9134165 | YU I (EX: VAYU SHAKTI) | GABON | ||
8744107 | YONG XIANG 29‡ | CHINA | ||
9231511 | YONG TAI | PANAMA | ||
9297319 | YANNIS | PANAMA | ||
9294290 | XIDI | PANAMA | ||
9301005 | WORLD PERFORMANCE | COOK ISLANDS | LIBERIA | |
9263215 | WIN WIN (EX: COSGREAT LAKE) | PANAMA | LIBERIA | |
9247431 | WILMA II (EX: REMY, EASTERN PRIDE) | PANAMA | LIBERIA | |
9288095 | WEN YAO | PANAMA | ||
9773301 | WEALTHY STAR (EX: FULL STAR)‡ | GUYANA | HONG KONG | |
9248461 | WAN HE (EX: CHEM SINYOO) | BARBADOS | ||
9232022 | VT QUEEN (EX: GREENER VI, PRO TRADER) | HONG KONG | ||
9203265 | VORAS (EX: ERMIS, TIANA) | CAMEROON | SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE), SAO TOME & PRINCIPE, GUYANA, TANZANIA | |
9422988 | VOLANS (EX: SUPER SAPPHIRE, OKEANOS, MARE, AL KHALIDIA, VICTORY 1) | BARBADOS | BAHAMAS, CAMEROON, GABON, LIBERIA | |
9236250 | VIRGO | PANAMA | ||
9154000 | VIOLET 1 | PANAMA | ||
9262156 | VIGOR (EX: SANTA MARINA) | PANAMA | MALTA | |
9208136 | VIGO (EX: MERCY 08) | VIETNAM | ||
9233739 | VETER | CAMEROON | ||
9233349 | VESNA | BELIZE | SAO TOME & PRINCIPE, DJIBOUTI | |
9326055 | VERONICA III | PANAMA | ||
9187435 | VERGIOS | BELIZE | ||
9007386 | VENUS 7 | PANAMA | ||
9274563 | VELA GAS | COOK ISLANDS | PANAMA | |
9370537 | VALANO | PANAMA | ||
9224805 | UZOR | CAMEROON | ||
9231901 | URGANE I (EX: VENICE, INTISAR) | PANAMA | ||
9247780 | TURACO (EX: DATURA) | PANAMA | LIBERIA | |
9206035 | TULJA KALYANI (EX: ROWAN, LATIN VENTURE, PACIFIC BRAVO) | NIGERIA | LIBERIA, SIERRA LEONE, COMOROS, DJIBOUTI | |
8912558 | TULIP (EX: GAS ORCHID) | CAMEROON | DJIBOUTI | |
9041655 | TRIS GAS | CAMEROON | ST KITTS & NEVIS | |
9252072 | TRIMA (EX: EMERALD SEA) | ST KITTS & NEVIS | PANAMA | |
9222443 | TRICIA II (EX: TIBURTINA, ARABELA, KYOTO) | COMOROS | PANAMA | |
9231509 | TREND (EX: MM STRENGTH, SPM STRENGTH) | BELIZE | LIBERIA | |
8912546 | TOWER RISE | COOK ISLANDS | PANAMA | |
9307932 | TONIL | PANAMA | ||
9127667 | TONDA SOURCE (EX: EXUBERANT STAR) | PANAMA | ||
9293741 | TITAN (EX: ETHAN, LUBOV) | UNKNOWN | CAMEROON, COOK ISLANDS | |
9273337 | TIFANI (EX: ANAHI, AMFITRITI) | UNKNOWN | CAMEROON, ST KITTS & NEVIS, TANZANIA | |
9147447 | TIA (EX: ALISA)‡ | GUYANA | TANZANIA | |
9127033 | THE GAS AMELIA (EX: ARROW) | PANAMA | TUVALU | |
9232955 | TERNHAV (EX: GLOBAL ELEGANCE) | COOK ISLANDS | ||
9313149 | TASCA | PANAMA | ||
9248813 | ARINA (EX: TALOSA, TJATSE, AKSTA) | HONG KONG | PANAMA | |
9277761 | SUPER EVER | PANAMA | ||
9342786 | SUNSEA (EX: AMIAS)‡ | VIETNAM | ||
9529645 | SUN 9 | PANAMA | ||
9235476 | SUMMER 7 | PANAMA | ||
9257149 | NESO (EX: STATICE) | PANAMA | ||
9237632 | STAR FOREST (EX: GALAXY STAR) | HONG KONG | PANAMA | |
8818843 | ST.RAMAN (EX: GAS AKITA) | SAN MARINO | PANAMA | |
9014420 | ST.CUDI (EX: HAMBURG DW, GAS LINE) | PANAMA | ||
9524475 | ST NIKOLAS (EX: SUEZ RAJAN) | MARSHALL ISLANDS | ||
9224271 | SPIRIT OF CASPER (EX: MARIA GRACE) | PANAMA | MARSHALL ISLANDS | |
9263643 | SONA STAR (EX: LIDINIA) | COOK ISLANDS | PALAU | |
9005053 | SONA (EX: SEA GLORIA) | COOK ISLANDS | PANAMA | |
9259367 | SOLANA (EX: JESSICA D) | PANAMA | ||
9531387 | SOFIA | COMOROS | ||
9259733 | SNOW LOTUS | PANAMA | ||
9304667 | SKIPPER (EX: ADISAJ)‡ | GUYANA | PANAMA | |
9337195 | SIRENE II (EX: DUPLIC DYNAMIC) | HONG KONG | PANAMA | |
9263693 | SINO STAR | HONG KONG | ||
9149251 | RAISSA (EX: SHINING, EASTERN ONE) | COOK ISLANDS | PANAMA | |
9328716 | SHARP OCEAN | PANAMA | ||
9237797 | SHANNON II (EX: YOUXIA) | COOK ISLANDS | PANAMA | |
9242118 | SHANAYE QUEEN | MALAYSIA | PANAMA | |
9295593 | BESTLA (EX: SHALIMAR) | PANAMA | ||
9162916 | SETA (EX: HANA) | CAMEROON | TANZANIA, SAMOA (FALSE), GUYANA, GABON | |
9197832 | SERENE 1 (EX: ALISHA) | PANAMA |
IMO | Vessel Name | Date Added | Current Flag* | Former Flags |
---|---|---|---|---|
7230666 | WHITE PURL | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9199828 | VENTURA (EX: GULF VENTURE, LEVIATHAN, ELISA SEA, ARK RESCUE) | UNKNOWN | ST KITTS & NEVIS, CAMEROON, GABON, TANZANIA | |
9248485 | URANUS (ex AZTEC, HERMES, CALLIOP) | UNKNOWN | TANZANIA, GUYANA, CAMEROON | |
9246138 | TELSA (EX: TELLUS, ELLA IX / MARS V) | ST KITTS & NEVIS | CAMEROON, COMOROS, GABON, TOGO | |
8902993 | STANDORF | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9253064 | SOTHYS | UNKNOWN | VIETNAM | |
8617055 | SIMBA (ex ORE) | SAMOA (FALSE) | TANZANIA | |
8614467 | SEA PRINCES (EX: QUEEN 1) | UNKNOWN | GUYANA, PANAMA | |
9208057 | SEA GLAMOUR (ex SEA ELEGANCE) | PANAMA | ||
9070149 | SAAVI (ex MAHARAJA) | PANAMA | ||
9133587 | PABLO (EX: MOCKINGBIRD (EX: HELIOS (EX ADISA, SIRO 1) | GABON | TANZANIA, COOK ISLANDS, CAMEROON | |
9105102 | OCEAN RI (EX: MEADOWS, OCEAN RICH, CHANG HAI) | PALAU | COOK ISLANDS | |
9150767 | MR NAUTILUS | CAMEROON | ||
9144067 | ION (ex GORI/SANREMO/STRENGTH 1) | CAMEROON | ||
9201592 | INGRID (ex SUPER LADY) | UNKNOWN | PANAMA, SIERRA LEONE | |
9081837 | HAZEL (ex CLARA) | UNKNOWN | COMOROS | |
9118393 | G STAR (ex ENERGY STAR) | ST KITTS & NEVIS | THAILAND | |
9159660 | FREESIA I (ex LA ROSA I) | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9102265 | EM VITALITY | UNKNOWN | COOK ISLANDS | |
9212864 | EM LONGEVITY | SINGAPORE | ||
9166417 | BRAD (EX: BRADLEY, SEAGER) | ST KITTS & NEVIS | COMOROS, PANAMA | |
9123192 | AVENTINE | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9200964 | ANASTASIA I | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9111644 | ALBA SUN (ex EAGLE BEAUMONT) | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9172583 | ALANA (ex FALCON PRIDE) | ANTIGUA & BARBUDA | LIBERIA | |
9188788 | JAL GAMINI (EX: PUTRI SAMUDRA, KANHA PRIDE) | UNKNOWN | TANZANIA, TOGO, PALAU, CAMEROON |
* Change of flag due to UANI intervention
‡ Vessel was sanctioned prior to inclusion on UANI’s public list of vessels suspected of involvement in Iran. The vessel remains on UANI’s list as it is currently foreign-flagged or ship-tracking platforms have failed to update the flag to unknown.
The vessels italicized indicate that the vessel was sanctioned after inclusion on UANI’s public list of vessels suspected of involvement in the illicit transfer of Iranian oil.
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