An Iranian crude oil tanker has reportedly successfully entered Indonesian waters, effectively bypassing a maritime blockade enforced by the United States. The vessel was detected navigating through the Lombok Strait and is currently charting a course toward the Riau Islands.
According to a report from Middle East Eye, citing data from the shipping monitor TankerTrackers, the vessel in question is a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). It marks the second instance of such a large-scale Iranian tanker maneuvering through these waters.
TankerTrackers has identified the vessel as the DERYA. The tanker had previously managed to evade detection and surveillance by the U.S. Navy before surfacing in Indonesian territory. Notably, the ship was previously involved in a failed attempt to deliver approximately 1.88 million barrels of crude oil to India.
“We subsequently observed the ship continuing to move south, even as its ‘sister’ vessels in the region were intercepted and turned back toward Iran by the U.S. Navy. At this moment, the vessel is proceeding to its designated rendezvous point in the Riau Islands,” stated TankerTrackers via their official X account, as reported by Middle East Eye on Monday.
This development follows a similar incident involving the tanker HUGE. The monitoring group further noted that the ongoing maritime restrictions have led to a volatile situation: while some Iranian tankers have successfully reached their intended destinations, others have been forced to return to their origin or have been seized by authorities.
Summary
An Iranian Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) named DERYA has entered Indonesian waters, successfully bypassing a maritime blockade enforced by the United States. The vessel was tracked moving through the Lombok Strait and is currently navigating toward the Riau Islands for a planned rendezvous. This transit marks the second time an Iranian tanker of this scale has maneuvered through the region despite active U.S. surveillance.
The DERYA had previously evaded U.S. Navy detection after a failed attempt to deliver 1.88 million barrels of crude oil to India. While some Iranian vessels have been intercepted or forced to return to their origin, this specific tanker continues its journey. Monitoring groups highlight that these incidents underscore the ongoing volatility surrounding efforts to enforce international maritime sanctions.