Iranian oil tanker carrying 2m barrels reaches China after 3-1/2-month voyage
A shipment of about 2 million barrels of Iranian oil reached Chinese ports early Sunday after a voyage lasting roughly three and a half months, according to a tanker-tracking firm.
Satellite images confirmed that a tanker linked to Iran had berthed at Chinese ports, TankerTrackers said in a post on X.
The vessel is a very large crude carrier (VLCC), a type of tanker typically capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of oil. According to TankerTrackers, it left Iran about three and a half months ago.
The release of the satellite images has once again drawn attention to the continuation of Iranian oil exports despite trade restrictions and sanctions.
VLCCs are among the main vessels used to transport large volumes of crude over long distances, including on routes between the Middle East and Asian markets. Their capacity allows large quantities of oil to be shipped in a single voyage.
Iran exported more than $16 billion worth of oil in the first six months of the Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, according to figures cited by Fars news agency.
China is one of the main destinations for Iranian oil exports. The arrival of the latest shipment comes amid sanctions-related restrictions and difficulties in transportation and financial transactions.
Iran has remained on a war footing since a US-Israeli coalition launched attacks in late February, triggering a 40-day conflict that included strikes on civilian areas and infrastructure. The country, which has been under Western sanctions for decades over its nuclear program, was also facing a maritime blockade from the south, targeting its trade and oil exports.