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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran ships “off radar” as Tehran conceals oil sales |
| 2012-04-13 |
| Iran is concealing the destinations of its oil sales by disabling tracking systems aboard its tanker fleet, making it difficult to assess how much crude Tehran is exporting as it seeks to counter Western sanctions aimed at cutting its oil revenues. Most of Iran’s 39-strong fleet of tankers is now “off-radar” after Tehran ordered captains in the National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) to switch off the black box transponders that are used in the shipping industry to monitor vessel movements, oil industry, trading and shipping sources said. “Iran, helped by its customers, is trying to obfuscate as much as possible,” said a senior executive at a national oil company that has done business with Iran. And Iran may have countered a reported reduction in its oil sales in March by offering big discounts in the form of free freight, finance and insurance and generous credit terms, the sources said. Europe’s July 1 oil embargo, and U.S. and European financial sanctions against Iran’s nuclear program have seen Tehran’s oil sales drop to most Western destinations and drawn promises from some Asian buyers that they will cut purchases. But cheap, covert sales may have curbed or even reversed the reduction in shipments, the sources say. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #7 IIRC DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > IRAN BUILDS 35,000-TON OIL VESSELS. Given the Ships' dimensions + capacities in comparison to the really Big Boyz of the Energy Industry, etc. I would surmise that Tehran wants to be as inconspicuous as possible. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-04-13 20:32 |
| #6 Damn those sneaky Jewfins! |
| Posted by: Charles 2012-04-13 18:32 |
| #5 That's what I was thinking Mullah R. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2012-04-13 16:32 |
| #4 'unexpectedly' filling with water... Not enough coffee |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2012-04-13 11:09 |
| #3 Watch the ports of the usual suspects with reasonably sized economies: China, Russia. And it's not going to be too hard to see how long it takes them to return. |
| Posted by: gorb 2012-04-13 11:09 |
| #2 Costs as much to ship the stuff. If they're getting buyers by selling below market, they're not making as much money, which is not as good as making no money, but it's got to hurt. Ships have transponders for a reason. Without one...and if, say, pirates disable it.... |
| Posted by: Richard Aubrey 2012-04-13 11:08 |
| #1 If they've 'gone dark', doesn't that make them somewhat harder to find when they experience technical difficulties (like 'expectantly' filling with water)? Just asking. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2012-04-13 11:08 |