Indian oil firms to avoid Iran-blacklisted tankers over security risks

Indian oil refiners and a global energy major plan to stop using vessels on Iran's new blacklist due to security concerns, four sources said this week. Tehran announced the 45-ship blacklist on Sunday, threatening action against vessels transferring loads with them. The blacklist targets shuttle runs by Gulf producers like UAE and Saudi Arabia, which use dedicated tankers to move oil through Hormuz for ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman. Named vessels could be fined, detained, or have cargoes confiscated, according to Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority. Several charterers and shipping firms are internally evaluating whether to continue STS operations. Some tankers on the list are owned by Saudi Aramco and ADNOC, which declined to comment. Trade analysts expect compliance-sensitive buyers to avoid these vessels, though trade may reroute through alternative tonnage.