45 ships blacklisted: Indian oil firms back off

New Delhi and Singapore: Indian oil refiners, a global energy giant, and at least three other oil companies have decided to stop using vessels on Iran's newly created blacklist, a move driven by security concerns, according to four sources familiar with the situation. Tehran announced the blacklist of 45 ships on Sunday, citing violations for crossing the Strait of Hormuz, and vowed to take action against any vessels transferring loads with them, intensifying its threats over the critical waterway that is vital for global energy supplies six months into the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

The blacklist is intended to disrupt the "shuttle runs" - a practice used by Gulf oil producers like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia - where dedicated tankers transport oil from the Gulf through Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman for unloading through Ship-to-Ship (STS) transfers onto ships bound for end-users. The new sanctions could result in fines, detention, and confiscated cargoes, as reported by the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a body established by Iran to manage the strait.

Some of the tankers included in the blacklist are owned or chartered by Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC), and have been utilized for transferring crude, refined products, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) out of the Gulf via STS transfers from Fujairah in the UAE or Sohar in Oman. Saudi Aramco and ADNOC did not respond to requests for comment.

Trade risk analyst Ana Subasic from Kpler predicts that compliance-conscious buyers are likely to avoid these vessels, but the trade is more likely to find alternative ways to transport oil, such as rerouting through different tonnage, counterparties, or transfer locations instead of entirely ceasing the practice. Many charterers and shipping firms are internally debating whether to continue their STS operations, evaluating Iran's warning amidst the ongoing Gulf crisis.