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CNN: The lawless floating gas station where Iranian oil changes hands

On Tuesday, U.S. forces seized the tanker MT Tifani off the coast of Malaysia, confiscating 1.9 million barrels of Iranian oil authorities say it was carrying.
Known as the Eastern Outer Port Limits , this patch of water off Malaysia acts as a "floating gas station" for Iran's shadow fleet to store and transfer crude oil.
To obscure cargo origins, shadow fleets frequently disable AIS trackers and use "flags of convenience," with at least 679 ship-to-ship transfers recorded in the EOPL during 2025, according to United Against Nuclear Iran.
On Thursday, U.S. forces also boarded the MT Majestic X, signaling intensified maritime enforcement to restrict revenue streams as the U.S. and Israel continue their war against Iran.
Beijing receives roughly 90% of Iran's oil exports, yet a foreign ministry spokesperson stated China "opposes unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law" when asked about continued purchases.

Insights by Ground AI