• Sunday, 03 May 2026
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Iranian Supertanker Evades U.S. Monitoring, Heads Toward Far East

Iranian Supertanker Evades U.S. Monitoring, Heads Toward Far East

An Iranian supertanker carrying crude oil valued at nearly $220 million has reportedly evaded U.S. monitoring efforts and continued its journey toward the Far East, according to maritime tracking firm TankerTrackers.

In a statement published Sunday on the social media platform X, TankerTrackers said that a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company had successfully avoided detection by the U.S. Navy.

The vessel, identified as “HUGE” (IMO: 9357183), is reportedly transporting more than 1.9 million barrels of crude oil. Its cargo is estimated to be worth approximately $220 million.

According to available tracking data, the tanker was last visually confirmed near Sri Lanka over a week ago. It is now believed to be navigating through the Lombok Strait in Indonesia, heading toward the Riau Archipelago.

The ship has reportedly not transmitted signals via the Automatic Identification System (AIS) since March 20, when it departed the Strait of Malacca. AIS is a tracking system used globally for maritime safety and monitoring, and disabling it is often viewed as an attempt to avoid detection.

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