WANA (Jun 03) – Satellite imagery confirms that a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) is currently loading oil at Iran’s primary export terminal on Kharg Island, marking the first such activity detected in four weeks. The development comes less than 24 hours after U.S. forces targeted an empty Iranian oil tanker in the region.

 

According to TankerTrackers.com, an independent maritime tracking firm, the supertanker operations signal that Iranian crude exports persist despite Washington’s ongoing maritime blockade.

 

Pipeline Threats Unfulfilled After 50 Days

The continuation of loading operations marks a significant operational milestone for Tehran. Since the implementation of what Iranian officials label an illegal U.S. blockade against the country’s ports, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iranian oil pipelines would face internal destruction.

 

However, more than 50 days into the blockade, no explosions or significant disruptions have been reported across Iran’s onshore storage facilities or pipeline infrastructure.

 

The Status of Iranian Maritime Storage

Maritime analysts noted that the unladen tanker targeted by U.S. forces last night belonged to a fleet utilized by Tehran for offshore storage.

 

“Iran utilizes these vessels to maintain floating crude reserves,” TankerTrackers reported, adding that “thanks to the combination of these specialized tankers and onshore storage facilities, the country’s overall storage capacity remains stable and is not facing a critical bottleneck.”

 

The persistence of supertanker docking at Kharg Island underscores the limits of the current naval blockade in completely halting Iranian energy logistics.