Iran Tanker Tracking

Economic pressure can compel Tehran to moderate its destructive behavior and end its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Crude and natural gas exports historically account for 25% of government revenues: it is therefore important to accurately track Iran’s oil exports to interpret if sanctions are effectively stopping the flow of revenue to the regime.

This can be difficult given the regime’s track-record of smuggling and sanctions evasion techniques and there is little consensus among oil tracking agencies about how much is getting through, and to where.

This variance mars the accuracy of media reports, but it also presents a serious challenge to those trying to get a handle on the trajectory of the Iranian economy, given its oil revenue dependency.

More importantly, a correct accounting of quantities and destinations will help focus limited resources to where they are really needed: which shippers, which vessels, which areas, which ports, which flags, which insurers.

UANI has therefore sought to address the information gap with a new comprehensive ship-tracking methodology.

Using Automatic Identification System (AIS), satellite imagery, vessel comparison and tanker classification, and cargo datasets to uncover all under-the-radar ship-to-ship (STS) transfers and exports of Iranian oil and gas condensates, we generate what we contend are the most accurate figures available.

This resource seeks to disrupt Iran’s attempts to generate profits from oil sales and further isolate the regime economically.

  • Exports Over Time
  • Shipping Analysis
  • August 2024
    Barrels Per Day (BPD)
August Total: 1,626,866
August 2024 Iran Tanker Tracker
September 03, 2024 | Claire Jungman and Daniel Roth

On August 7, Israel’s National Bureau for Counter-Terror Financing (NBCTF), part of the Ministry of Defense, sanctioned 18 tankers for their involvement in the illicit trade of Iranian oil, marking Israel’s first-ever shipping sanctions.  Several of the vessels—with a total deadweight of almost 1.88 million tons—were engaged in “dark” (i.e., transponder-disabled) ship-to-ship (STS) transfers with another U.S.-sanctioned vessel off the Syrian coast. According to Israeli officials, these oil sales were likely overseen by the IRGC-Quds Force. They were helping to finance Iran-backed terrorist proxy and partner groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.  Twelve of the freshly sanctioned vessels—which are now subject to Israeli “seizure orders”—have also previously transported banned Russian oil, while eight are members of UANI’s Ghost Armada, a fleet of over 400  tankers identified for their role in facilitating Iran’s illicit oil exports.

While China accounts for the lion’s share of Iranian oil exports, Syria is typically in second or third spot, taking in tens of thousands of barrels per day. On this (and other items), Western nations, including the U.S., are generally averse to ruffling Beijing’s feathers. By contrast, the Assad regime is widely recognized and explicitly called out as a malign actor and is broadly subject to tough autonomous sanctions by the U.S., the EU, and the UK.
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