Iranian media reported that one of Iran’s supertankers carrying crude oil valued at $220 million is en route to the Far East after breaking the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Fars News Agency said the giant oil tanker (VLCC) owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), named HUGE, made its way to the waters of the Far East by crossing the surveillance barrier of the extra-regional fleets. The tanker is carrying more than 1.9 million barrels of crude oil worth approximately $220 million.
According to shipping data, the tanker was last seen near the coast of Sri Lanka and continued its course through the Lombok Strait in Indonesia towards the Riau Archipelago, employing stealth tactics and disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS) since March 20, 2026.
The agency highlighted that the tanker’s use of alternative routes and passage through the Lombok Strait instead of congested routes demonstrates the sophistication of Iranian shipping strategies in managing the energy supply chain and circumventing US maritime surveillance.
It added, “This successful operation has once again proven Iran’s operational capability to ensure the security of strategic shipments transported to target markets.” (EIR)
