
Three Iranian oil tankers, the Deep Sea, Sonia I, and Diona, departed the Gulf on Wednesday, April 15, passing through the Strait of Hormuz with a combined total of five million barrels of crude oil. This marks the first such shipment reported since the United States implemented a blockade targeting Iranian ports. All three vessels are under US sanctions and loaded their cargo at Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil terminal. The Deep Sea and Diona each carry two million barrels, while the Sonia I carries one million barrels. This operation occurs amidst heightened tensions surrounding Iranian oil exports, with Washington having reinforced measures to limit Tehran's export capabilities since Monday. The tankers' automatic identification systems were deactivated, but maritime tracking firm Kpler confirmed their passage through the Strait of Hormuz via satellite imagery. While the final destination is not officially known, these vessels typically transport oil to the Singapore area for ship-to-ship transfers to other tankers, which then deliver the crude to China. Previous shipments by these vessels followed a similar pattern, with the Deep Sea delivering crude to Yantai, China, and the Diona to Dongjiakou, China, both in Shandong province.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.