Iran’s $800M oil smuggling scheme uses tankers posing as Iraqi ships to dodge blockade

[shockedcanadian]

Appears they are going to tempt the U.S navy again and the U.S is making them aware that they know.

It reminds me of that awful Clint Eastwood movie (come on, you guys know it was awful as far as realistic movies go) when the crook is looking at his pistol on the ground and Clint says,
"do you feel lucky, punk?".

8 millions barrels of oil would be a huge haul and hurt Iran. Where is this oil headed to, China?

Cut it off and confiscate it.

Iran’s $800M oil smuggling scheme uses tankers posing as Iraqi ships to dodge blockade

Sanctioned tankers are allegedly disguising Iranian oil shipments as Iraqi cargo while Trump doubles down on the naval blockade to squeeze Tehran.

www.foxnews.com

Sanctioned tankers disguised as Iraqi vessels are moving hundreds of millions of dollars in Iranian crude as President Donald Trump doubled down on the port blockade to squeeze Tehran’s oil lifeline, according to maritime intelligence.

Windward AI claimed Wednesday that a group of U.S.-sanctioned tankers are falsifying their location data to come off as anchored off Iraq while secretly loading Iranian oil at Iranian ports.

"Among the tankers spoofing their location in the area identified by Windward are four VLCCs: Alicia (IMO 9281695), RHN (IMO 9208215), Star Forest (9237632), and Aqua (IMO 9248473), using various flags, including fraudulent registries from Curacao and Malawi," the firm told Fox News Digital.

"For the four VLCCs, each VLCC can hold about 2 million barrels, so four of them would hold 8 million barrels, worth about $800 million at $100 per barrel," Windward said.

This came as Trump said Wednesday he will keep Iran under a naval blockade until it agrees to a deal addressing U.S. concerns about its nuclear program.

The U.S. administration has demanded that Iran dismantle its uranium enrichment program, while Tehran maintains that enrichment is a sovereign right and nonnegotiable, leaving little room for compromise.

Windward AI noted a "cluster" sanctioned tankers spoofing locations and sighted to the West of the Strait of Hormuz.

"A cluster of 10 Iran-trading, U.S.-sanctioned tankers is now spoofing its AIS location to falsely appear at anchorages off Basrah, Iraq, as the blockade continues to constrict Iranian ports," Windward explained.

"The vessels identified by Windward Multi-Source Intelligence are manipulating their signals to create a digital alibi," the intelligence firm claimed.

"By broadcasting fake destination messages to Iraqi ports, the tankers appear to be in Iraqi waters while covertly sailing to Iran to load sanctioned oil.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Appears they are going to tempt the U.S navy again and the U.S is making them aware that they know.

It reminds me of that awful Clint Eastwood movie (come on, you guys know it was awful as far as realistic movies go) when the crook is looking at his pistol on the ground and Clint says,
"do you feel lucky, punk?".

8 millions barrels of oil would be a huge haul and hurt Iran. Where is this oil headed to, China?

Cut it off and confiscate it.

Iran’s $800M oil smuggling scheme uses tankers posing as Iraqi ships to dodge blockade

Sanctioned tankers are allegedly disguising Iranian oil shipments as Iraqi cargo while Trump doubles down on the naval blockade to squeeze Tehran.

www.foxnews.com

Sanctioned tankers disguised as Iraqi vessels are moving hundreds of millions of dollars in Iranian crude as President Donald Trump doubled down on the port blockade to squeeze Tehran’s oil lifeline, according to maritime intelligence.

Windward AI claimed Wednesday that a group of U.S.-sanctioned tankers are falsifying their location data to come off as anchored off Iraq while secretly loading Iranian oil at Iranian ports.

"Among the tankers spoofing their location in the area identified by Windward are four VLCCs: Alicia (IMO 9281695), RHN (IMO 9208215), Star Forest (9237632), and Aqua (IMO 9248473), using various flags, including fraudulent registries from Curacao and Malawi," the firm told Fox News Digital.

"For the four VLCCs, each VLCC can hold about 2 million barrels, so four of them would hold 8 million barrels, worth about $800 million at $100 per barrel," Windward said.

This came as Trump said Wednesday he will keep Iran under a naval blockade until it agrees to a deal addressing U.S. concerns about its nuclear program.

The U.S. administration has demanded that Iran dismantle its uranium enrichment program, while Tehran maintains that enrichment is a sovereign right and nonnegotiable, leaving little room for compromise.

Windward AI noted a "cluster" sanctioned tankers spoofing locations and sighted to the West of the Strait of Hormuz.

"A cluster of 10 Iran-trading, U.S.-sanctioned tankers is now spoofing its AIS location to falsely appear at anchorages off Basrah, Iraq, as the blockade continues to constrict Iranian ports," Windward explained.

"The vessels identified by Windward Multi-Source Intelligence are manipulating their signals to create a digital alibi," the intelligence firm claimed.

"By broadcasting fake destination messages to Iraqi ports, the tankers appear to be in Iraqi waters while covertly sailing to Iran to load sanctioned oil.

They still have to run the blockade. Not likely. You can disguise a ship only so much.

 

[Independent thinker]

They still have to run the blockade. Not likely. You can disguise a ship only so much.

For the most part, a ship looks like a ship.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

For the most part, a ship looks like a ship.

Obviously, you have no experience at sea. There is an entire classification system for types of vessels. Most of the posters on here could not tell the difference in a bulk cargo carrier and an oil tanker, much less a patrol boat and a dhow.

 

[Blaster]

They still have to run the blockade. Not likely. You can disguise a ship only so much.

Flying a LBGTQ flag won't fool anyone.

 

[justoffal]

They still have to run the blockade. Not likely. You can disguise a ship only so much.

Chicom propaganda

 

[Cassandro]

Obviously, you have no experience at sea. There is an entire classification system for types of vessels. Most of the posters on here could not tell the difference in a bulk cargo carrier and an oil tanker, much less a patrol boat and a dhow.

Obviously, you have a need to denigrate other posters.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Chicom propaganda

I was a naval officer. I identified ships all over the world.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Obviously, you have a need to denigrate other posters.

I always denigrate people who try to bullshit!

 

[justoffal]

I was a naval officer. I identified ships all over the world.

I'm pretty sure our Navy knows who is cheating and where they are. But I certainly defer to your vast experience ( not being sarcastic) ....
In my field...Power Plant Engineering....the Ex Navy guys are considered to be the finest there are to be had. I have worked with several who were nothing less than impressive.

Jo

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

I'm pretty sure our Navy knows who is cheating and where they are. But I certainly defer to your vast experience ( not being sarcastic) ....
In my field...Power Plant Engineering....the Ex Navy guys are considered to be the finest there are to be had. I have worked with several who were nothing less than impressive.

Jo

I spent the majority of my Navy time as a steam propulsion plant engineer on 1200 and modified 600 pound systems.

 

[justoffal]

I spent the majority of my Navy time as a steam propulsion plant engineer on 1200 and modified 600 pound systems.

Awesome!!!! Right now I'm doing gas turbine to HRSG to topping turbine Brayton/Rankine
Combos. The Gas turbine plants are going up like mushrooms!

I was just reading an article this morning about the need for increased steam turbine production for the nuclear submarines.

Jo

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Awesome!!!!

I tried getting in the power plants all over the US but I think there is an extensive good ole boy network.

 

[justoffal]

I tried getting in the power plants all over the US but I think there is an extensive good ole boy network.

They were afraid of you! Trust me I know what I'm talking about.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

They were afraid of you! Trust me I know what I'm talking about.

I think that was the case, especially after I applied for a position with a natural gas turbine-powered facility in Florida and I aced their assessment test, and the only gas turbine experience I had besides my department head school training, as an engineer for all types of propulsion, was the emergency turbine generator I was responsible for on my first ship.

 

[justoffal]

I tried getting in the power plants all over the US but I think there is an extensive good ole boy network.

So you would be the person to ask.
I am left with a gnawing curiosity. l read an article today about retiring military boats including frigates and submarines and wondered whether or not they are completely disabled upon retirement oh whether or not they are in a semi limbo and can be called back to active duty upon need.

I'm getting the impression that once they are retired they are no longer available for anything at any time.

Jo

 

[justoffal]

I think that was the case, especially after I applied for a position with a natural gas turbine-powered facility in Florida and I aced their assessment test, and the only gas turbine experience I had besides my department head school training, as an engineer for all types of propulsion, was the emergency turbine generator I was responsible for on my first ship.

It's because your knowledge blew them away. In this industry sometimes you have to play it coy.

Jo

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

So you would be the person to ask.
I am left with a gnawing curiosity. l read an article today about retiring military boats including frigates and submarines and wondered whether or not they are completely disabled upon retirement oh whether or not they are in a semi limbo and can be called back to active duty upon need.

I'm getting the impression that once they are retired they are no longer available for anything at any time.

Jo

It depends on the individual ships and its material condition. For example, we sold a good number of our old FFG-7 class frigates to allies. Submarines being nuclear powered are never sold and recycled. Most of my old ships were sunk as targets because they were flat worn out after numerous years of service and extended deployments during the Guld War, of which I made one, but they stayed in mothballs a few years before that happened. I believe after reading the same or a similar article, some ships will be held in a reserve status in mothballs should they be needed again. That was the case with the battleships we upgraded in the 80s and served during the Gulf War. Today I saw a story on an old Spruance-class DD that is being used as a weapons testing evaluation platform, but it has no Navy crew.

Our older Kidd-class destroyers, also known as the Ayatollah class (because they were purchased by Iran before the revolution) and later bought by the Navy as DDGs, when decommissioned were offered to Australia, Greece and later sold to Taiwan, where they still serve.

I have been reading numerous Facebook postings about the Air force pulling a B-1, a KC-135, and a B-52 out of mothballs at Davis-Monthan AFB and refurbishing them for training purposes or replacements for those lost in accidents or crashes. They do that with their aircraft.