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[1].
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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