The Seized Oil Tanker 'Suez Rajan' Heads to the Bahamas After Renaming

The oil tanker 'Suez Rajan', which was seized by the U.S. for smuggling Iranian oil, has set sail for the Bahamas under its new name 'San Nicolas' after unloading its cargo. The tanker was seized in April for carrying over 980,000 barrels of smuggled Iranian crude oil. After two and a half months, oil service companies unloaded the tanker’s oil due to fears of secondary sanctions. The company 'Suez Rajan Ltd.' was also suspended for three years and fined nearly $2.5 million in April for smuggling Iranian oil. Transport data from 'Empire Navigation' shows that the tanker 'Suez Rajan' continues its operations under the new name 'San Nicolas'. The tanker is now empty and is heading to its next destination, Freeport, Bahamas. Previously, the United States revealed on Friday, September 8, that it had disrupted a multi-million dollar shipment of crude oil by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in April and seized over 980,000 barrels of smuggled crude oil, which constitutes a violation of U.S. sanctions. Reuters had reported in April that the U.S. had confiscated the shipment of the 'Suez Rajan' tanker, which was transporting Iranian oil at sea. This action by the U.S. is part of its efforts to combat Iranian oil exports, which are prohibited under U.S. sanctions. The U.S. Department of Justice stated: 'Over 980,000 barrels of smuggled crude oil from the IRGC were seized.' A Greek company was fined $2.4 million for smuggling Iranian oil. Iran summoned the Swiss chargé d'affaires over the seizure of the sanctioned oil shipment. The unloading of the 'seized Iranian oil shipment' in Texas began despite threats from the IRGC. U.S. lawmakers have called for a resolution to the issue of unloading the seized Iranian tanker shipment. The IRGC has threatened that if the Iranian tanker is unloaded, they will retaliate.