ISLAMABAD: Two oil tankers carrying approximately one million barrels of Iranian crude have signalled Karachi as their next destination, an unusual development that analysts believe is more likely linked to operational strategy than any plan to unload cargo in Pakistan.
According to Bloomberg, the tankers Rani and Amil changed their destination signals to Karachi on Tuesday after already exiting the Persian Gulf, shortly before the United States reimposed stricter enforcement measures targeting Iranian oil shipments.
Maritime analysts believe the vessels are unlikely to discharge their cargoes in Pakistan, as doing so would expose the country to potential U.S. sanctions. Pakistan has not officially imported Iranian crude oil for more than a decade, according to shipping intelligence firm Kpler.
Instead, experts suggest the tankers may be heading towards waters off Karachi to temporarily anchor or conduct ship-to-ship cargo transfers before continuing their onward journey.
This would not be the first time Iran-linked tankers have used waters near Karachi as a temporary holding area. During previous periods of U.S. sanctions, several vessels associated with Iranian oil reportedly remained offshore near Pakistan while waiting for opportunities to return to the Persian Gulf for additional cargoes.
Charlie Brown, an adviser to the non-profit organisation United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), said that if this pattern is re-emerging, it likely reflects shipping operators’ preference for remaining close to the Gulf in a relatively secure location rather than any intention to deliver Iranian crude to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, maritime intelligence firm Vortexa suggested the vessels may also be navigating closer to Pakistan to avoid increased monitoring by U.S. naval forces while using Karachi as a waypoint in their voyage.
Industry observers note that waters off eastern Malaysia remain the primary staging area for Iran-linked oil tankers, where ship-to-ship transfers are frequently conducted before crude is transported to China. Such transfers are often carried out with vessels operating without active tracking signals to avoid detection.
Most Iranian crude carriers departing the Persian Gulf in recent weeks have continued to list Singapore as their declared destination, making the Karachi signals particularly noteworthy.
Both the Rani and Amil are currently under U.S. sanctions and are considered part of the so-called “dark fleet” used to transport Iranian oil. According to maritime database Equasis, the Rani is owned and managed by Starboard Shipping Inc-Pan of Panama, while the Amil is owned by Amelie Ltd of Malaysia and managed by Espoir Shipping Ltd of Hong Kong.
While the vessels’ destination updates have attracted attention, there is no indication at present that Pakistan intends to import Iranian crude, and analysts believe the move is primarily a navigational and logistical decision rather than a commercial transaction.
