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 Sort descending | Date Added | Current Flag* | Former Flags |
---|---|---|---|---|
92444867 | A JEWEL | LIBERIA | ||
9689031 | A R G (EX: GOLDEN LOTUS) | LIBERIA | ||
9405617 | AARVI (EX: REEM 7) | GABON | ||
9281695 | ABUNDANCE III (EX: OCEAN KAPAL) | PANAMA | PALAU | |
9157765 | ABYSS | UNKNOWN | PALAU, VIETNAM | |
9283801 | ACHELOUS | PANAMA | ||
9194969 | ADDRESS GAS | PANAMA | ||
9410234 | AFRODITA I | PANAMA | ||
9142150 | AKOYA GAS (EX: GAS ALLURE)‡ | TANZANIA | ||
9330020 | AL MOUSTAFA | PALAU | ||
9213313 | ALBEDO (EX: ALITA I) | GABON | ||
9244635 | AMAK | SWAZILAND | PANAMA | |
9182291 | AMOR (EX: ROMA, KARO) | CAMEROON | COMOROS, PANAMA | |
9253117 | AN SHUN II | PANAMA | ||
9176773 | ANGEL‡ | TANZANIA | ||
9246281 | ANGIA | PANAMA | ||
9246281 | ANHONA | BELIZE | LIBERIA | |
9203253 | ANITA | UNKNOWN | CAMEROON, MICRONESIA, COOK ISLANDS | |
9233208 | ANNA (EX: QUEEN SERE, RAIN DROP) | GUYANA | TANZANIA, COOK ISLANDS, PANAMA | |
9306457 | ANNABELLE | MARSHALL ISLANDS | ||
9304655 | ANNICK | PANAMA | ||
9281683 | ANTHEA | COMOROS | PANAMA | |
9423322 | APOLLO OCEAN (EX: PANSY) | VIETNAM | ||
9251822 | AQUARIS | PANAMA | ||
9041643 | ARGO MARIS | CAMEROON | ||
9464156 | ARIHANT | PALAU | ||
9248813 | ARINA (EX: TALOSA, TJATSE, AKSTA) | HONG KONG | PANAMA | |
9282106 | ARTEMIS GAS | COMOROS | PANAMA | |
9102241 | ARTEMIS III (EX: AGLAIA; HAPON) | HONDURAS | ||
9150365 | ARTURA | GUYANA | PANAMA | |
9622069 | ASIA UNITY (EX: ORIENTAL RIDER, VORTEX PIONEER, ABLE SAILOR) | SINGAPORE | HONG KONG | |
9288382 | ASPHALT HONOR | HONG KONG | ||
9181194 | ASTERIX (EX: PHOENIX, LERAX) | UNKNOWN | CAMEROON, TANZANIA, ST KITTS & NEVIS | |
9162928 | ASTRA (EX: HURON) | GABON | CAMEROON | |
9262754 | ATILA | CAMEROON | ||
9218181 | ATLANTIS MZ (EX: TOMIE, CALI STAR) | PALAU | LIBERIA | |
9280873 | AVENTUS I | PANAMA | ||
9294795 | AVIOR (EX: BS BRAVO) | SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE) | TANZANIA, GABON | |
9246279 | AVITAL (EX: LAVAL, GIESSEL) | UNKNOWN | CAMEROON, ST KITTS & NEVIS, TANZANIA | |
9365764 | AYDEN | PANAMA | ||
9256016 | B LUMINOSA‡ | UNKNOWN | DJIBOUTI | |
9235244 | BALU (EX: NEW GLOBAL) | CAMEROON | PANAMA, MARSHALL ISLANDS | |
9045807 | BATELEUR | PANAMA | ||
9282522 | BAXTER | BELIZE | ||
9230880 | BELLA 1 (EX: TIMIMIUS, NEOFIT, YANNIS) | PANAMA | PALAU, LIBERIA | |
9216559 | BERENICE PRIDE (EX: S TRADER, ANN, LAUREN) | PANAMA | LIBERIA | |
9262168 | BERG 1 | PANAMA | ||
9292163 | BERTHA (EX: MONICA S) | COOK ISLANDS | PANAMA | |
9295593 | BESTLA (EX: SHALIMAR) | PANAMA | ||
9340465 | BIA | PANAMA | ||
9196632 | BIANCA JOYSEL | PANAMA | ||
9220914 | BIRDHUM | PALAU | ||
9371608 | BLISSFUL SEA | PANAMA | PALAU | |
9288265 | BLUE NIL | PANAMA | ||
9221657 | BLUEFINS‡ | UNKNOWN | DJIBOUTI | |
9267132 | BOCEANICA‡ | UNKNOWN | TANZANIA, DJIBOUTI | |
9222699 | BONANZA 10 | PANAMA | ||
9248497 | BOREAS | UNKNOWN | PANAMA, COMOROS | |
9199127 | BOREY G (EX: CATHAY STAR) | PANAMA | ||
9232876 | BRAVA LAKE | PANAMA | ||
9582726 | BRAVELY LOYALTY | SINGAPORE | ||
9259355 | BREEZE V | PANAMA | ||
9213296 | BRIGHT SONIA | PANAMA | ||
9282443 | BUENO‡ | UNKNOWN | TANZANIA, DJIBOUTI | |
9252436 | CALLISTO (EX: STARRY) | HONG KONG | ||
9131101 | CALYPSO GAS | ANTIGUA & BARBUDA | ||
9002491 | CAPE GAS | COMOROS | ||
9008101 | CAPTAIN NIKOLAS | COOK ISLANDS | PANAMA | |
9240512 | CARINA V | PANAMA | ||
9137648 | CARUZO | COOK ISLANDS | PALAU | |
9310159 | CATALINA 7 | PANAMA | ||
9294240 | CATHAY KIRIN | PANAMA | ||
9305609 | CELINE | PANAMA | ||
9229439 | CERES I (EX: PACIFIC ALFA) | SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE) | ||
9240914 | CHEM | COOK ISLANDS | ||
9171498 | CHILTERN | PANAMA | ||
9242481 | CHINTAMANI | GABON | ||
9257802 | CHOLA QUEEN | PANAMA | ||
9255933 | CIMARRON (EX: DAISY 2, TANIA) | CAMEROON | TANZANIA, PANAMA | |
9102277 | CINNAMON (EX: PERON) | PANAMA | ||
9238052 | CLIO | PANAMA | ||
9282792 | CLYDE NOBLE | PALAU | PANAMA | |
9546722 | CONRAD | COOK ISLANDS | ||
9247986 | CRESTED (EX: AMENITY) | PANAMA | ||
9153513 | CS BRILLIANCE | PANAMA | MARSHALL ISLANDS | |
9133850 | CS DEVELOPMENT | MARSHALL ISLANDS | ||
9169691 | CS PROSPERITY | MARSHALL ISLANDS | ||
9158161 | DANCY DYNAMIC | PALAU | ||
9273052 | DANICA (EX: AFRA CROWN, LAFIZA, GULF VOYAGER) | GABON | LIBERIA, PANAMA | |
9193721 | DANUTA I (EX: SAPPHIRE I) | COOK ISLANDS | PANAMA | |
9185530 | DAWN II (EX: SPAR) | PANAMA | ||
9244374 | DELONG | LIBERIA | ||
9258674 | DEMETER | PANAMA | ||
9005065 | DIANA (EX: APHRODITE) | PANAMA | THAILAND | |
9208215 | DIMITRA II | COOK ISLANDS | PANAMA | |
9637650 | DING HENG 36 (EX: WEALTHY LOYAL, GAO CHENG 3) | MARSHALL ISLANDS | HONG KONG | |
9171357 | DIVINE POWER (EX: DP 7) | PALAU | GABON | |
9255945 | DOLPHIN (EX: DIAMOND, YOLANDA, LAVINIA) | COOK ISLANDS | TANZANIA, GUYANA, SIERRA LEONE, PANAMA, ST KITTS & NEVIS | |
8917807 | DOUBLE IN | PANAMA | ||
9155341 | DRAVIN (EX: KANHA) | GABON |
IMO | Vessel Name Sort descending | Date Added | Current Flag* | Former Flags |
---|---|---|---|---|
9172583 | ALANA (ex FALCON PRIDE) | ANTIGUA & BARBUDA | LIBERIA | |
9111644 | ALBA SUN (ex EAGLE BEAUMONT) | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9200964 | ANASTASIA I | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9123192 | AVENTINE | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9166417 | BRAD (EX: BRADLEY, SEAGER) | ST KITTS & NEVIS | COMOROS, PANAMA | |
9212864 | EM LONGEVITY | SINGAPORE | ||
9102265 | EM VITALITY | UNKNOWN | COOK ISLANDS | |
9159660 | FREESIA I (ex LA ROSA I) | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9118393 | G STAR (ex ENERGY STAR) | ST KITTS & NEVIS | THAILAND | |
9081837 | HAZEL (ex CLARA) | UNKNOWN | COMOROS | |
9201592 | INGRID (ex SUPER LADY) | UNKNOWN | PANAMA, SIERRA LEONE | |
9144067 | ION (ex GORI/SANREMO/STRENGTH 1) | CAMEROON | ||
9188788 | JAL GAMINI (EX: PUTRI SAMUDRA, KANHA PRIDE) | UNKNOWN | TANZANIA, TOGO, PALAU, CAMEROON | |
9150767 | MR NAUTILUS | CAMEROON | ||
9105102 | OCEAN RI (EX: MEADOWS, OCEAN RICH, CHANG HAI) | PALAU | COOK ISLANDS | |
9133587 | PABLO (EX: MOCKINGBIRD (EX: HELIOS (EX ADISA, SIRO 1) | GABON | TANZANIA, COOK ISLANDS, CAMEROON | |
9070149 | SAAVI (ex MAHARAJA) | PANAMA | ||
9208057 | SEA GLAMOUR (ex SEA ELEGANCE) | PANAMA | ||
8614467 | SEA PRINCES (EX: QUEEN 1) | UNKNOWN | GUYANA, PANAMA | |
8617055 | SIMBA (ex ORE) | SAMOA (FALSE) | TANZANIA | |
9253064 | SOTHYS | UNKNOWN | VIETNAM | |
8902993 | STANDORF | UNKNOWN | PANAMA | |
9246138 | TELSA (EX: TELLUS, ELLA IX / MARS V) | ST KITTS & NEVIS | CAMEROON, COMOROS, GABON, TOGO | |
9248485 | URANUS (ex AZTEC, HERMES, CALLIOP) | UNKNOWN | TANZANIA, GUYANA, CAMEROON | |
9199828 | VENTURA (EX: GULF VENTURE, LEVIATHAN, ELISA SEA, ARK RESCUE) | UNKNOWN | ST KITTS & NEVIS, CAMEROON, GABON, TANZANIA | |
7230666 | WHITE PURL | UNKNOWN | PANAMA |
* 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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