Kharg still has oil storage capacity despite US claims, TankerTrackers says
Iran still has available oil storage capacity at its main export hub on Kharg Island and retains a sizeable fleet of tankers capable of transporting crude, oil-tracking service TankerTrackers.com said, amid renewed US claims that sanctions pressure is constraining Tehran’s oil exports.
“Kharg Island isn’t maxed out of storage space. If it were, they would grab the nearest available tankers and top them up. Instead, oil production has slipped to match the drop in tanker loadings. There are still plenty of tankers they can load,” TankerTrackers wrote in a social media post on X.
Washington continues to intensify sanctions and blockade enforcement targeting Iran’s oil sector, with US officials repeatedly stating that measures aimed at shipping networks, intermediaries and tankers are designed to curb Tehran’s crude exports and restrict revenue flows.
TankersTrackers also said Iran still has access to numerous oil tankers capable of loading and transporting its crude shipments, suggesting Tehran retains logistical flexibility despite years of Western sanctions on its energy and shipping industries.
Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf, handles the vast majority of Iran’s crude exports and serves as the country’s most important oil export terminal.
Since May 13 and after a 40-day illegal war of aggression, the US has imposed a so-called blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil supply passes, disrupting shipping routes and energy trade.
Oil traders and analysts say any sustained disruption to Iranian exports could tighten global crude balances, particularly as OPEC+ producers manage supply cuts and geopolitical risks remain elevated across the West Asian region.