Ghost Fleet
mechanismNations & Geopolitics
A shadow fleet of tankers quietly swaps oil at sea to make Western sanctions almost meaningless.
Who they are
The 'Ghost Fleet,' also called Iran's dark fleet of tankers.
What they do
The engine treats it as a mechanism for dodging sanctions.
How it works
Ships transfer oil directly to one another at sea (ship-to-ship transfers) to hide its origin and slip past sanctions enforcement.
Why it matters
It undermines the whole Western sanctions system by giving sanctioned oil a way to keep flowing.
The engine's record — word for word
Sanctions bypass via ship-to-ship oil transfers. Iran dark fleet. Undermines Western sanctions architecture.
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