Iran’s network of aging oil tankers used to move crude under sanctions is increasingly being flagged as an environmental and maritime safety risk, with experts warning that a serious accident could trigger a catastrophic spill, The Guardian reported on Tuesday. The Guardian said Pole Star Global assessed 29 Iran-linked vessels that “went dark” by switching off satellite identification systems, and found that about half were older than the recommended 20-year safe service life. Analysts said the ships are believed to be poorly maintained and may fail to meet international safety standards because they operate outside normal scrutiny
Seven of the 29 vessels were placed in an “extreme risk” category because they were over 25 years old, and three were more than 30 years old. It added that five of the ships were both aging and very large crude carriers, capable of holding about 300,000 tons of oil, meaning a single accident could dwarf past disasters, the report noted.
The Guardian cited more than 50 reported incidents involving shadow tankers globally in recent years, ranging from collisions to spills, and said nine oil slicks between 2021 and 2024 were attributed to Russian “dark fleet” vessels. It said the Iranian fleet has drawn less scrutiny, despite analysts warning that its age profile is among the worst observed. (Read More)
