Indonesia's Successful Pursuit: Capturing Iran-flagged Supertanker in Illegal Oil Transfer

Indonesia's coast guard has captured an Iranian-flagged supertanker, the MT Arman 114, suspected of illegally transferring oil in Indonesia's North Natuna Sea. The ship was found to be spoofing its automatic identification system (AIS) to show a false location in the Red Sea. The vessel was engaged in an oil transfer with the Cameroon-flagged MT S Tinos before being apprehended with the assistance of Malaysian authorities. The Arman did not have a permit for the oil transfer and dumped some of its crude into the ocean. Tankers carrying oil from sanctioned countries have been transferring their cargoes in the Singapore Strait to avoid detection. In a separate incident, the US Navy prevented Iran from seizing two commercial tankers in the Gulf of Oman.