US EditionLatest Iran-China Oil Sanctions-Avoidance Ruse Detected
From November 1, Huangdao Port will bar tankers over 31 years old and those rated below 55 points in a new risk-based system to reduce safety and environmental hazards.
- Four terminal operators at Huangdao Port issued a joint notice to ban shadow-fleet vessels and bar tankers over 31 years old, effective November 1.
- Against a backdrop of U.S. designations last month, traders say the restrictions target the shadow fleet moving oil for countries under Western sanctions, while China defended its Iran oil purchases.
- To tighten screening, Huangdao will implement a risk-scoring system up to 100 points based on vessel age, classification society, and pollution liability, barring ships rated below 55 points.
- Ships rejected under the rules will be barred for one year and low-scoring vessels could be prevented from docking, as Huangdao, part of the Qingdao hub, handles roughly one-sixth of China’s crude imports.
- Emma Li, China analyst at Vortexa Analytics, said the move appears precautionary, linked to environmental concerns and U.S. sanctions pressure, while Indonesian shipments to China rose to 630,000 bpd in August.
13 Articles
13 Articles
China’s Qingdao Port to Ban Older and High-Risk Tankers, Impacting Russian and Iranian Oil Shipments
China’s Qingdao Port will impose new restrictions on older and high-risk tankers, a move widely seen as targeting vessels carrying sanctioned oil from Russia, Iran and other sensitive suppliers, Bloomberg reported on September 29. Starting November 1, tankers over 31 years old, ships with altered International Maritime Organization (IMO) identities, or vessels with invalid certifications will be barred from berthing, according to a notice seen b…
China’s Key Oil Port to Roll Out Measures That Curb Shadow Fleet
Some terminal operators at China’s Qingdao Port, which handles around one-sixth of the country’s crude intake, will impose new restrictions on old tankers — a move widely seen as targeting vessels that carry sanctioned oil from Iran and other sensitive suppliers.
Latest Iran-China Oil Sanctions-Avoidance Ruse Detected
Bloomberg and the political pressure group United Against a Nuclear Iran have recently published a report suggesting that in the face of exposure to criticism, Malaysia has reduced its exports of crude oil to China. But Iranian-origin crude oil is now reaching China on replacement routes. In 2024, Malaysia exported an estimated 1.4 million barrels per day to China, a huge increase over previous years. However, its own domestic production, mostly…
China restricts access to 'shadow fleet' at one of its key ports - BloombergFrom November 1, the port of Qingdao in China will implement new rules for oil tankers, banning vessels older than 31 years and those with invalid certificates. The restrictions come after U.S. sanctions on the oil carrier Qingdao Port Haiye Dongjiakou Oil for transporting Iranian oil.
Terminal operators in Qingdao, one of China's key oil ports, are preparing new restrictions for Russia's "shadow fleet." These restrictions will affect older tankers transporting sanctioned oil from Iran, RBC-Ukraine reports, citing Bloomberg. Under the restrictions, which will take effect on November 1, ships over 30 years old will be banned from docking. This also applies to vessels with invalid certificates or those that have changed their In…
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