DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: The Iranian shadow fleet of roughly 400 tankers faces renewed US pressure to block its exports after the country exported an estimated $48 billion of crude oil and condensate in 2025.
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated that Iran exported 1.576 million barrels per day last year. China received about 1.567 million barrels per day, according to the agency’s June 2026 report.
However, the EIA said limited trade transparency made nearly all Iranian export figures estimates. Its revenue calculation also excluded discounts offered to buyers.
Washington reinstated its blockade of maritime traffic entering or leaving Iranian ports at 2000 GMT on July 14. The measure does not cover vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to non-Iranian ports, according to a Reuters report.
Analysts estimated that the Iran shadow fleet contained about 400 vessels before the blockade, although counts vary. Many tankers are at least 20 years old, Middle East Eye reported.
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Operators obscure cargo movements by disabling or manipulating Automatic Identification System signals. They also use opaque ownership structures, change flags and transfer oil between ships at sea.
Ship-to-ship transfers are not inherently illegal. However, they can conceal a cargo’s origin and expose participating vessels, owners, insurers and buyers to US secondary sanctions.
Read: Caspian Sea Trade Iran Rises Amid Hormuz Blockade
The US Treasury sanctioned 19 shadow-fleet vessels and a Chinese independent refinery on April 24. It said such refineries, known as “teapots,” purchase most Iranian crude entering China.
No UN-wide embargo prohibits Iranian oil sales. However, the International Maritime Organisation has warned that shadow fleets may evade safety and environmental rules or operate without adequate insurance.
