Discover the Nasha: Ratings & Maritime News

In a significant development for maritime operations in the Persian Gulf, another tanker has departed from Iran's floating storage fleet, marking the fourth withdrawal since the pivotal nuclear agreement established on July 14. The National Iranian Tanker Company’s vessel, named Nancy, had been anchored off the coast of Kharg Island for an extensive 135 days until it went dark on August 19, when its AIS transponder was turned off, rendering it undetectable by vessel-tracking systems. This 2.1 million-barrel capacity tanker was briefly spotted on Sunday in Fujairah, UAE, a strategic waiting zone where vessels typically refuel before embarking on lengthy journeys or engaging in ship-to-ship transfers. However, it vanished from tracking radars again on Monday, setting sail towards an undisclosed destination.

DUBAI, June 24, (RTRS): In a strategic move ahead of an impending European Union ban on Iranian oil imports, Iran is reportedly rebranding many of its oil tankers. Ship tracking data reveals that vessels are adopting new English names and changing their flags. Among those transitioning to new identities are the Haraz, now named Freedom, the Nesa, which has become Truth, and the Sima, rebranded as Blossom. Significantly, at least one-third of the fleet operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) has registered under the flags of the Pacific atolls of Tuvalu and the East African nation of Tanzania, departing from their previous Maltese and Cypriot flags. While NITC remains unaffected by UN sanctions, growing EU pressure has prompted Malta and Cyprus to curtail flagging ships linked to the Iranian government. As part of this re-flagging initiative, NITC has raised the Tuvaluan flag on 11 of its 39 oil tankers, in addition to two vessels now flying the Tanzanian flag. This development underscores Iran's attempts to navigate and circumvent geopolitical constraints as the EU's ban approaches, altering the landscape of oil transportation in the region.