The Unfolding of a Shadowy Oil Trade

A vast network of 'dark fleet' tankers is covertly transferring millions of barrels of Iranian oil to China, circumventing U.S. sanctions. These tankers, often aged and uninsured, operate under flags of convenience, turning off their location transponders to become nearly invisible. The South China Sea has become a hotspot for these operations, where ship-to-ship transfers of oil can occur without detection. Recent discoveries by maritime observers revealed significant oil transactions between specific tankers, particularly the Titan and Win-Win, indicating a robust supply chain moving sanctioned oil to eager markets.