Iran has released the oil cargo on a Greek tanker seized in January.
In a relatively unusual move, a ship-to-ship transfer was carried out from the Stamatis Molaris-owned 158,600-dwt St Nikolas (ex-Suez Rajan, built 2011).
The 1m-barrel cargo of Iraqi crude was shifted to a Turkish tanker on behalf of Turkish refiner Tupras, Reuters reported.
The St Nikolas remains in Iranian control.
“The cargo was released earlier this week after negotiations,” a source said.
Tupras said the Empire Navigation-owned suezmax was holding oil bought from Iraq’s SOMO.
“The entire cargo was recovered through a ship-to-ship transfer conducted between July 23 and 25, 2024. The crude oil is now en route to the refinery and is expected to arrive in September,” Tupras added.
The cargo was moved on to the 157,500-dwt Turkey-flagged T Semahat (built 2017), owned by Ditas-Denizciik, which is majority-owned by Tupras.
The operation took place near Iran’s Larak Island, according to US campaign group United Against Nuclear Iran.
The T Semahat is signalling the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates as its first destination.
Tanker freed
The seafarers on board the St Nikolas were released in March and a new crew was brought in.
Earlier this month, an Advantage Tankers suezmax seized 15 months ago by Iranian forces finally sailed to freedom.
The Chevron-chartered 159,100-dwt Advantage Sweet (built 2012) was boarded in April last year as Iran took control of its $51m crude cargo.
It was one of several vessels captured by Iranian forces in tit-for-tat battles over US sanctions that were reimposed in 2018 by former president Donald Trump.
The US said in January that Iran was holding five ships and more than 90 crew members hostage from vessels seized in 2023.
Five days before the seizure of the Advantage Sweet, the US seized and later sold more than 980,000 barrels of Iranian crude on board the Suez Rajan.
After this ship discharged its cargo in Texas, it returned to the Middle East under the new name St Nikolas.
When it arrived in Oman, Iranian forces hijacked the ship and have held it since.
