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Cargo-empty oil tankers sanctioned by the United States are continuing to arrive in the Gulf region despite the ongoing US naval targeting of Iranian ports, according to vessel monitoring service TankerTrackers.
In a post on X, TankerTrackers said the tanker VINA/VALLEY (9157478), a vessel that "routinely delivers Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to the Houthis in Yemen," managed to enter the US blockade perimeter on Wednesday while actively transmitting its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal. https://x.com/TankerTrackers/status/2052163347768889681 A larger Iranian oil tanker also arrived the same day, according to the post. "Cargo-empty, US-sanctioned tankers are still arriving," TankerTrackers said in its post, adding that, "it's empty tankers like these that buy Tehran more time." The VINA/VALLEY has previously been identified in sanctions-related shipping monitoring reports involving Iranian liquefied petroleum gas exports and alleged supply routes linked to the Houthis in Yemen. Meanwhile, the Ports and Maritime Organisation of Iran on Thursday announced that it is fully prepared to offer maritime, technical, and medical support services to commercial vessels operating in the strategic Strait of Hormuz and surrounding regional waters, a day after US President Donald Trump announced a temporary pause to "Project Freedom". According to a statement issued by the maritime authority and carried by Iran's state-run IRNA, the announcement was issued to ship commanders to ensure maritime safety, improve vessel seaworthiness, and safeguard crew welfare. The advisory further instructed ship masters and owners to contact Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) centres at the nearest Iranian ports or through local representatives on VHF channel 16 to request services and communicate operational needs. The announcement came a day after Trump on Tuesday declared that "Project Freedom", an initiative aimed at helping the passage of commercial vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating regional tensions in the Gulf, will be temporarily paused while the naval blockade of Iran's ports remains in place. Earlier, on Wednesday (local time), the US Naval Forces fired on an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman as part of its ongoing naval blockade against the Islamic Republic, claiming that the vessel failed to comply with the instructions from the American forces in the region. According to a statement released by US Central Command (CENTCOM), US forces acted after the vessel, identified as M/T Hasna, did not comply despite repeated warnings while transiting international waters toward an Iranian port. (ANI)
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