Malaysia Warns of Surge in Iranian Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers

Iran’s dark fleet vessels have been increasingly engaged in ship-to-ship transfers just outside Malaysian waters, exploiting gaps in jurisdiction and enforcement rules to continue shipping oil to China, according to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. Despite the U.S. blockade outside the Strait of Hormuz aimed at stopping Iranian oil exports, Iran has continued to ship its oil to China—its key buyer taking more than 90% of all Iranian exports—since the war began. Amid the U.S. blockade, Iran’s shadow fleet has significantly…