Shadow Fleet

The tanker has been involved in the transport of Iranian-origin crude oil to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), having delivered over 8 million barrels since mid-2024.
In May 2025, the United States designated the tanker IMO 9320843 for its role in sanctions evasion involving Iranian oil.

The vessel has been implicated in the transportation of Iranian oil, in particular transporting more than one million barrels of Iranian oil to China, which it received from the tanker IMO 9418078, sanctioned by the United States on December 19, 2024. Iran’s shadow fleet relies on little-known ship management companies to operate its tanker fleet, which Tehran uses to disguise Iranian oil shipments to China through ship-to-ship (STS) transfers involving sanctioned vessels.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9171448. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.
On May 08, 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the tanker IMO 9171448.
According to IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) data as of July 14, 2025, the vessel’s registered name is IMPALAS, flag unknown.

The vessel is involved in the transportation and supply of Iranian crude oil, in particular to the DPRK. Since the beginning of 2025, tanker IMO 9263215 has made at least two oil shipments using sanctioned vessels of the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) to assist in delivering up to six million barrels of oil to China.
Iran's shadow fleet relies on little-known ship management companies to operate its fleet of tankers, which Tehran needs to disguise Iranian oil shipments to China using ship-to-ship (STS) transportation with sanctioned vessels.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9263215. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.
On May 08, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The VLCC-class tanker is involved in the transportation of sanctioned Iranian, Venezuelan, and russian crude oil.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9283801. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.
Between December 2023 and May 2024, russia used the vessel IMO 9283801 to transport russian crude oil to third countries via STS transfers of wet cargo.
On April 16, 2025, the US imposed sanctions on a tanker for transporting Iranian oil to refineries in China, which provide vital multibillion-dollar revenues for the Iranian regime and its allies.

The vessel is affiliated with a sanctioned person, Brar Jugwinder Singh, through a sanctioned company, Glory International FZ-LLC, of which he is a director and owner. Brar, through its companies, owns, operates or manages a fleet of nearly 30 oil and petroleum product tankers, most of which are Handysize tankers that stick to coastal waters and carry a fraction of the cargo of larger tankers. Brar uses the smaller tankers for STS transfers to load Iranian oil from other shadow fleet vessels or to load oil or fuel that is smuggled from smaller commercial and fishing vessels. Thus, Brar coordinated with the illegal shipping associates of Houthi financial official Said al-Jamal on sanctions evasion tactics, including the use of smaller vessels instead of large oil tankers to conceal the smuggling of Iranian oil in the Persian Gulf and Khor al-Zubair (Iraq) and their environs.
On April 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as a property in which Glory International FZ-LLC has an interest.

The vessel is affiliated with the designated individual Brar Jugwinder Singh through the designated company Glory International FZ-LLC, of which he is both director and owner. Through his companies, Brar owns, operates, or manages a fleet of nearly 30 oil and petroleum product tankers, most of them Handysize-class vessels that operate in coastal waters and carry only a fraction of the cargo of larger tankers. Brar employs these smaller tankers for ship-to-ship (STS) transfers to load Iranian oil from other vessels in the shadow fleet, or to load oil and fuel smuggled from smaller commercial and fishing vessels.
Brar has coordinated with illicit shipping associates of Houthi financial official Said al-Jamal on sanctions-evasion tactics, including the use of smaller vessels in place of large oil tankers to conceal the smuggling of Iranian oil in the Persian Gulf and in the area of Khor al-Zubair (Iraq) and its vicinity.
On 10 April 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel as property in which the designated Glory International FZ-LLC holds an interest.

The vessel is involved in the provision of fuel oil bunkering services for ships in Iranian waters under contracts worth millions of dollars signed during 2024 with the sanctioned National Iranian Oil Company, which provides material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Forces.
The vessel is affiliated with a sanctioned person, Brar Jugwinder Singh, through a sanctioned company, Glory International FZ-LLC, of which he is a director and owner. Brar, through its companies, owns, operates or manages a fleet of nearly 30 oil and petroleum product tankers, most of which are Handysize tankers that stick to coastal waters and carry a fraction of the cargo of larger tankers. Brar uses the smaller tankers for STS transfers to load Iranian oil from other shadow fleet vessels or to load oil or fuel that is smuggled from smaller commercial and fishing vessels. Thus, Brar coordinated with the illegal shipping associates of Houthi financial official Said al-Jamal on sanctions evasion tactics, including the use of smaller vessels instead of large oil tankers to conceal the smuggling of Iranian oil in the Persian Gulf and Khor al-Zubair (Iraq) and their environs.
On April 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as a property in which Glory International FZ-LLC has an interest.

The tanker is affiliated with the sanctioned Indian company Global Tankers Private Limited, which is controlled by designated individual Jugwinder Singh Brar. Mr. Brar owns several shipping companies operating a combined fleet of nearly 30 vessels, most of which are reported to operate as part of Iran’s shadow fleet. Global Tankers acts as the owner or technical/operational manager of several vessels within the Brar-controlled fleet. On 10 April 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel IMO 9005338 as property of the designated entity Global Tankers Private Limited.

The vessel is affiliated with a sanctioned person, Brar Jugwinder Singh, through a sanctioned company, Glory International FZ-LLC, of which he is a director and owner. Brar, through its companies, owns, operates or manages a fleet of nearly 30 oil and petroleum product tankers, most of which are Handysize tankers that stick to coastal waters and carry a fraction of the cargo of larger tankers. Brar uses the smaller tankers for STS transfers to load Iranian oil from other shadow fleet vessels or to load oil or fuel that is smuggled from smaller commercial and fishing vessels. Thus, Brar coordinated with the illegal shipping associates of Houthi financial official Said al-Jamal on sanctions evasion tactics, including the use of smaller vessels instead of large oil tankers to conceal the smuggling of Iranian oil in the Persian Gulf and Khor al-Zubair (Iraq) and their environs.
On April 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as a property in which Glory International FZ-LLC has an interest.

The vessel is affiliated with a sanctioned person, Brar Jugwinder Singh, through a sanctioned company, Glory International FZ-LLC, of which he is a director and owner. Brar, through its companies, owns, operates or manages a fleet of nearly 30 oil and petroleum product tankers, most of which are Handysize tankers that stick to coastal waters and carry a fraction of the cargo of larger tankers. Brar uses the smaller tankers for STS transfers to load Iranian oil from other shadow fleet vessels or to load oil or fuel that is smuggled from smaller commercial and fishing vessels. Thus, Brar coordinated with the illegal shipping associates of Houthi financial official Said al-Jamal on sanctions evasion tactics, including the use of smaller vessels instead of large oil tankers to conceal the smuggling of Iranian oil in the Persian Gulf and Khor al-Zubair (Iraq) and their environs.
On April 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as a property in which Glory International FZ-LLC has an interest.

The vessel is affiliated with the sanctioned individual Brar Jugwinder Singh through the sanctioned company Glory International FZ-LLC, of which he is the director and owner. Brar, through his companies, owns, operates, or manages a fleet of nearly 30 oil and petroleum product tankers, most of which are Handysize-class tankers operating in coastal waters and carrying only a fraction of the cargo capacity of larger tankers. He uses these smaller vessels for ship-to-ship (STS) transfers to load Iranian oil from other shadow fleet vessels or to load oil or fuel smuggled from smaller commercial and fishing vessels.
Brar has coordinated with the illicit shipping associates of Houthi financial official Said al-Jamal on sanctions evasion tactics, including the use of smaller vessels instead of large oil tankers to conceal the smuggling of Iranian oil in the Persian Gulf and Khor al-Zubair (Iraq) and surrounding areas.
On April 10, 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel as property in which Glory International FZ-LLC has an interest.
According to the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) data as of July 14, 2025, the vessel’s registered name is CHIL 1, and its flag is listed as "Aruba False."

The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC)-class tanker AMOR was the leading transporter of Iranian oil in 2024.
On 10 April 2025, the United States designated the vessel pursuant to its role in sanctions evasion involving Iranian-origin crude.