US Forces Board Shadow Tanker in Indian Ocean as Iran Blockade Efforts Grow
The Pentagon announced that U.S. forces have boarded another tanker linked to Iran as the White House vowed to expand the blockade to strangle Iran’s economy. It is the second tanker the Pentagon has confirmed it has boarded this week, while CENTCOM reported that a total of 31 tankers have now been ordered to turn around or return to port as part of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and shipping.
Releasing pictures and videos, the Pentagon identified the crude oil tanker as the Majestic X, reporting it was transporting oil from Iran. It said the interdiction took place in the Indian Ocean. The AIS signal for the tanker indicates it was heading to China.
The vessel appears to be a notorious shadow fleet tanker that had also been sailing under the name Phonix since 2023. It is currently reported to be falsely claiming it is sailing under the flag of Guyana, with no known registry for the past few years. The Pentagon called the vessel stateless.
Overnight, U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.
We will continue global maritime enforcement to… pic.twitter.com/SWF6Jt9Ci4
— Department of War ???????? (@DeptofWar) April 23, 2026
Built in 2001, it is 281,500 dwt and reported to be managed from India. The U.S. sanctioned the vessel in December 2024 for its involvement in the Iranian oil trade. TankerTrackers.com reports the vessel has helped Iran to export 20 million barrels of oil since 2023.
Earlier in the week, the U.S. also boarded the tanker Tifani in the Indian Ocean. The New York Times reports while the vessels are now in the custody of the U.S. military, an official said it would be up to the White House to decide what to do with the ships and their cargo. After the interdictions earlier this year of tankers linked to Venezuela, the White House sought a court order for a seizure in at least one case while also sending some of the tankers back to Venezuela.
CENTCOM yesterday denied reports that tankers are evading the U.S. blockade. It said the Iranian-flagged tankers Hero II (317,355 dwt) and the Hedy (299,242 dwt) were still in the anchorage at Chabahar, Iran, a fact TankerTrackers.com confirmed using satellite messages. Based on its analysis, TankerTrackers.com reports there are now nine Iranian tankers in the port, up from five two days ago, while also highlighting another tanker, Diona (319,297 dwt), which was also now at the port.
CENTCOM says it is escorting another Iranian tanker in the Indian Ocean (CENTCOM)
The statement from CENTCOM also said a U.S. destroyer was escorting the Iranian-flagged tanker Dorena (319,260 dwt) in the Indian Ocean after it attempted to violate the blockade. Reuters is reporting the tanker left Iran laden with two million barrels of crude bound for India but failed to reach port before the expiration of the U.S. exemption that was permitting India to receive Iranian oil.
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The report by Reuters said the U.S. has also intercepted at least two other Iranian-flagged tankers that it cited by name. It said the Deep Sea (296,977 dwt) and the Sevin (164,154 dwt) had both been intercepted near Malaysia and the Indian Ocean. Both vessels have been dark on AIS for over a month. CENTCOM did not acknowledge actions against these two tankers.
Iran continues to call the interceptions and blockade a violation of the ceasefire and acts of piracy. It insists peace talks would not resume until the actions are stopped and the tankers are released. Trump has vowed to increase the pressure until a peace deal is signed.
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