A collision involving a “dark” oil tanker in the South China Sea highlights the dangers of China’s reliance on illicit tankers to import sanctioned oil.
Rebecca Tan, Pei-Lin Wu, and Júlia Ledur report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- The Ceres I, an oil tanker part of a fleet evading international regulations, collided with another vessel in July 2024, raising safety concerns.
- Analysts believe the Ceres I was spoofing its location to mask illicit oil transfers, making it undetectable to other ships.
- China's demand for discounted oil from sanctioned countries fuels the growth of these dangerous fleets.
Key quote:
“What we’re talking about is a vessel that has been connected to illicit activities for an extensive period of time."
— Dimitris Ampatzidis, a risk and compliance analyst at Kpler
Why this matters:
The use of aging, non-compliant tankers increases the risk of maritime accidents, which can lead to environmental disasters and threaten international shipping lanes.
Related: Tanker sinks in Manila Bay, sparking fears of major oil spill
