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US forces boarded and seized the supertanker M/T Davina in the Indian Ocean on June 4-5, hauling in a vessel carrying approximately 1.9 million barrels of Iranian crude oil. The Department of Justice announced the operation, describing the tanker as part of Iran’s so-called “ghost fleet,” a network of vessels used to evade international sanctions and funnel oil revenue back to Tehran.
The seizure was carried out by the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) and represents one of the largest maritime interdictions in the ongoing campaign to choke off Iran’s illicit oil exports.
What we know about the M/T Davina
The M/T Davina, also known as the Lenore, is a stateless supertanker with a capacity of up to 2 million barrels. The US Treasury first sanctioned the vessel back in October 2024 for its role in transporting Iranian crude, primarily to buyers in China.
At the time of the seizure, the tanker was carrying crude loaded from Iran’s Kharg Island in March 2026.
Since being sanctioned in October 2024, the M/T Davina has reportedly transported roughly 20 million barrels of Iranian crude. That means sanctions alone didn’t stop the vessel from operating. It took a physical boarding operation to finally pull it out of service.
The tanker had been operating under deceptive practices common to ghost fleet vessels, including sailing without a legitimate flag state.
A pattern of escalating enforcement
The Davina seizure fits into a sustained series of US interdictions targeting vessels engaged in Iranian oil smuggling. Recent operations have also netted the MT Skywave and MT Tifani, while the MT Skipper was seized back in December 2025.
Iranian oil exports have reportedly experienced an 84% decline on a month-on-month basis due to US enforcement actions.
The DOJ has drawn a direct line between these oil revenues and Iran’s military apparatus. Specifically, the department has linked the proceeds from illicit oil sales to funding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and related entities.
What this means for markets and geopolitics
Iran has been one of the key sources of discounted crude for Chinese refiners, and a sustained enforcement campaign could force those buyers to seek alternatives at higher prices.
The reported 84% monthly decline in Iranian exports, if it holds, would represent a meaningful reduction in global supply at a time when oil markets are already navigating OPEC+ production decisions and demand uncertainty.
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