Iranian Tankers Evade US Naval Blockade Using Alternative Routes
Iran's Maritime Maneuvers
Tehran: Are Iranian vessels managing to bypass the US maritime blockade with assistance from India and Pakistan? According to a report by a prominent financial publication, at least 34 tankers linked to Iran have successfully evaded the US Navy's restrictions by employing tactics such as 'dark' transit, AIS spoofing, and operating as a 'ghost fleet' (changing flags). The report claims these tankers, carrying approximately 10.7 million barrels of oil, utilized these deceptive methods to navigate restricted routes, generating an estimated revenue of $910 million.
While former US President Donald Trump asserted that Washington has complete control over the Strait of Hormuz and hailed the ongoing naval blockade as a significant success, the financial report challenges these claims. Since the blockade's initiation, at least 34 Iranian-linked tankers have managed to continue their operations in the region, raising questions about how these vessels have managed to slip past the US Navy.
Are Indian and Pakistani Maritime Routes Being Utilized? Investor and researcher Jim Bianco shared a map in a post, suggesting that Iranian ships are using maritime routes through India and Pakistan to circumvent the US blockade. He questioned, 'How can dozens of ships break through America's blockade?'
Bianco further explained that the map illustrates how a tanker can travel from Kharg Island to Mumbai while remaining within the maritime territories of Pakistan and India. He argued that the rules of the US blockade and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) grant ships the right to pass through the territorial waters of coastal nations, which those nations have the authority to control.
What Maritime Route Exists from Kharg Island to Mumbai? Bianco contended that once in the maritime zones of Pakistan or India, these vessels can either unload their cargo or continue their journey without entering international waters. While this claim has not been confirmed by other sources, Bianco's argument suggests that Iranian tankers are indeed utilizing the maritime areas of India and Pakistan. The journey from Kharg Island to Mumbai is completed within these 'territorial waters,' a process referred to as 'innocent passage.' The US cannot intervene in these waters, as doing so would violate the sovereignty of the coastal nations (India or Pakistan).