Satellite images released on Thursday appear to show the controversial Iranian VLCC Adrian Darya 1 preparing to discharge its crude cargo on to a smaller Iranian-flagged tanker off Syria.
This is according to US technology company Maxar Technologies.
The image was captured on Wednesday, AP reported, with a vessel named as the 46,000-dwt Jasmine (built 1996) shown alongside the 301,000-dwt former Grace 1 (built 1997) - and a crane deployed on the VLCC.
TankerTrackers had said on Tuesday that Adrian Darya 1 was “postured in an STS (ship-to-ship) formation with a smaller Iranian-flagged handymax (350,000 barrel capacity) tanker."
It added this was “not a confirmation of any oil transfer just yet. We'll compare imagery later.”
There is no AIS data for Jasmine beyond 5 September. It is listed as owned by Lebanon-based Africo 1 Off-Shore SAL.
Last month this company and the ship was blacklisted by the US treasury, which said they assist India-based Mehdi Group subsidiary Vaniya Ship Management in moving Iranian oil.
Iran has not commented.
Grace 1 was detained in July in Gibraltar with Iranian oil destined for Syria, sparking an international diplomatic spat.
The ship was allowed to leave after Iran pledged not to sell the $130m of crude to Syria in contravention of EU sanctions.
But the tanker then headed to Syria after turning its AIS off on 2 September.
On 11 September, Iran said it had sold the oil to a private company at sea.
