Iran has sent tankers back to its key export terminal on Kharg Island as fears of an Israeli attack on its energy infrastructure recede.
Ships controlled by National Iranian Tanker Co fled the area last week, suggesting the government was worried about imminent retaliation from Israel after its own rocket attack on the country.
Satellite imagery provided to Middle East Eye (MEE) by TankerTrackers shows two VLCCs controlled by National Iranian Tanker Co were loading crude on Tuesday.
An aframax tanker, owned by a third party, was also at the terminal. This suggests nearly 5m barrels of oil will be departing the facility.
NITC’s decision to send vessels back suggests Iran is in “risk-off mode”, Samir Madani, chief executive of TankerTrackers, told MEE.
Bloomberg reported the anchorage remains empty, however, after at least 10 NITC tankers in ballast moved further out into the Middle East Gulf. It cited imagery from Sentinel Hub.
OSINTTechnical said this was the first time the anchorage was vacant since last November, with 105 ships tracked there since then.
The world has been awaiting Israel’s response to Iran’s missile attack in retaliation to Israeli military action against Lebanon and Yemen.
Kharg Island handles more than 90% of Iran’s crude shipments.
Vesseltracker said it can load 7m barrels per day but has not been operating at such levels.
