Iran blacklists tankers it says are helping funnel oil out of Gulf

Iran says it has blacklisted 45 tankers that had broken its rules for crossing the Strait of Hormuz, and would take action against any vessels transferring loads with them, escalating its threats over the key waterway six months into the war.

The named vessels could be fined, detained and have their cargoes confiscated, according to an X post from the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a new body set up by Iran to manage the strait.

The restricted list includes very large crude carriers, liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas tankers, and clean product vessels, among others.

Some of the named ships are owned by the United Arab Emirates’ ADNOC Logistics and Shipping, ADNOC’s subsidiary Navig8 Tankers, and Saudi Arabia’s national shipping carrier Bahri. Ships owned by Klaveness Ship Management, Stolt Tankers and South Korea’s Sinokor are also included on the blacklist.

The US has coordinated efforts to shuttle tankers quietly through the Strait of Hormuz to fill supertankers waiting just outside it.

Any vessels involved in ship-to-ship transfers with the named vessels could be added to the blacklist, Iran says.

The post does not spell out what is meant by Iran’s rules, but Tehran has in the past said ship-owners should get its clearance to transit the strait and said ships should pay for security and other services.