The Panama Maritime Authority has expelled three tankers, that were sanctioned days ago by the USA, in the ongoing efforts to pressure Iran. While regularly monitoring its registry for violators, the authority had already dealt with the vessels included in the recent UK sanctions package. The authority highlighted that it must follow a prescribed procedure to notify vessels and revoke their registry while having increased its efforts and enacting new legislation to expedite the removal process. In the first six months after the Executive Decree was invoked, Panama reports a total of 107 sanctioned vessels were removed from its registry. Three more were in the process. As the largest registry by number of ships, Panama has historically noted the challenges of monitoring all the vessels under its flag. Currently, it has approximately 7,700 flag vessels representing more than 196 million gross registry tons. The U.S. Treasury reported its latest efforts on Oct 8, 2026, as part of the Operation Economic Outcast, listing a total of 17 tankers as part of the efforts to further tighten the restrictions on the fleet of shadow tankers supporting Iran’s oil operations. The U.S. effort included vessels operating under a broad range of flags, including Comoros, Bahamas, Palau, Mongolia, Cameroon, Zanzibar, Sierra Leone, Vanuatu, Hong Kong, San Marino, Gambia, and notably three tankers registered in Panama. Panamanian officials noted that they have already restricted the three vessels listed by the United States and, according to databases, one of the ships has already changed its flag. AMP officials said the full removal of the vessels is in process. The 'Starway' was listed in the databases as having moved its flag in September to Barbados, after sailing under the Panama flag for approximately two years. The ship was Chinese-managed and owned by a corporation registered in the Marshall Islands. The U.S. Treasury accused the vessel of having transported over three million barrels of Iranian naphtha since 2025. The 'Mackerel' has been in the Panama registry for three years. The vessel, which was built in 2003, was managed from India while its ownership was listed as a corporation in the Marshall Islands. The U.S. authorities reported the tanker has transported over 500,000 barrels of Iranian high-sulfur fuel oil since December 2025. The 'Bitu' has also been registered in Panama since 2024, and it is managed from the UAE. It has transported over 170,000 barrels of Iranian bitumen/asphalt in 2026. The flag states were working to crack down on the so-called practice of “flag hopping,” but it remained a challenge as the vessels pop up in different locations and with different names or go into false-flag operations.
News
DF PEAK
On Oct 12, 2026, the French military has boarded the 'DF Peak' on the Indian Ocean, about 450 nautical miles to the south of the department of Réunion, in perhaps the most remote, far-removed interdiction of a Russia-linked tanker since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in Feb 2022, using a French Navy AS365 Dauphin N3 helicopter operated by Flottille 34F, from one of the Floréal-class frigates based at Port-des-Galets naval base in Réunion under the Armed Forces in the South Indian Ocean Zone (FAZSOI). The boarding was executed under the framework of Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which grants warships the right of visit on the high seas under suspicion of statelessness or fraudulent flagging. The 'DF Peak' was now under escort and being furthter inspected. While the vessel was far outside of French territorial seas, the legal authority for command of the boarding fell under the regional prefect of Réunion. The ship was suspected of flying a false flag and conducting illicit fuel transportation activities. The action was carried out in accordance with international maritime law, demonstrating the determination to uphold the rule of law and combat all illicit trafficking, wherever it occurs. The prosecutor’s office in the French city of Saint-Denis on the island of Réunion has launched an investigation into the captain of the 'DF Peak'. The investigation concerned the inability to confirm the vessel’s nationality during the inspection. The offense with which the captain was charged, carries a sentence of up to two years in prison and a fine of €300,000. The vessel may also be confiscated. “The investigation, in particular, aims to establish the vessel’s operating conditions and identify its owner and operator, who may also face criminal charges,” noted the prosecutor from Saint-Denis. 21 crew members of various nationalities remained on board. Restrictive measures and detention have been imposed on them for an initial period of 48 hours, which a judge may extend. The tanker served in the state-owned Sovcomflot fleet as 'NS Captain' until 2024, when it was renamed 'Kaliningrad', taking its current name in 2025. The ship was part of the SCF-linked, Dubai-based Sun Ship fleet in early 2022, and was managed by a company in Hong Kong. It was falsely flagged in Benin, a national register once known as a haven for the Russia-linked shadow fleet. Benin has taken steps to deregister noncompliant tonnage and push back against the fraudulent, unauthorised use of its flag, a persistent pattern for sanctioned vessels. The vessel was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2024, then subsequently by the EU, Switzerland, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ukraine. The Ukrainian government has also sanctioned one of the vessel's former captains. Report with photos: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/10/french-navy-intercepts-and-boards-shadow-fleet-tanker-df-peak-south-of-reunion/
STARWAY
The Panama Maritime Authority has expelled three tankers, that were sanctioned days ago by the USA, in the ongoing efforts to pressure Iran. While regularly monitoring its registry for violators, the authority had already dealt with the vessels included in the recent UK sanctions package. The authority highlighted that it must follow a prescribed procedure to notify vessels and revoke their registry while having increased its efforts and enacting new legislation to expedite the removal process. In the first six months after the Executive Decree was invoked, Panama reports a total of 107 sanctioned vessels were removed from its registry. Three more were in the process. As the largest registry by number of ships, Panama has historically noted the challenges of monitoring all the vessels under its flag. Currently, it has approximately 7,700 flag vessels representing more than 196 million gross registry tons. The U.S. Treasury reported its latest efforts on Oct 8, 2026, as part of the Operation Economic Outcast, listing a total of 17 tankers as part of the efforts to further tighten the restrictions on the fleet of shadow tankers supporting Iran’s oil operations. The U.S. effort included vessels operating under a broad range of flags, including Comoros, Bahamas, Palau, Mongolia, Cameroon, Zanzibar, Sierra Leone, Vanuatu, Hong Kong, San Marino, Gambia, and notably three tankers registered in Panama. Panamanian officials noted that they have already restricted the three vessels listed by the United States and, according to databases, one of the ships has already changed its flag. AMP officials said the full removal of the vessels is in process. The 'Starway' was listed in the databases as having moved its flag in September to Barbados, after sailing under the Panama flag for approximately two years. The ship was Chinese-managed and owned by a corporation registered in the Marshall Islands. The U.S. Treasury accused the vessel of having transported over three million barrels of Iranian naphtha since 2025. The 'Mackerel' has been in the Panama registry for three years. The vessel, which was built in 2003, was managed from India while its ownership was listed as a corporation in the Marshall Islands. The U.S. authorities reported the tanker has transported over 500,000 barrels of Iranian high-sulfur fuel oil since December 2025. The 'Bitu' has also been registered in Panama since 2024, and it is managed from the UAE. It has transported over 170,000 barrels of Iranian bitumen/asphalt in 2026. The flag states were working to crack down on the so-called practice of “flag hopping,” but it remained a challenge as the vessels pop up in different locations and with different names or go into false-flag operations.
STENA IMPERATOR
The tanker shipping company Stena Bulk announced that the 'Stena Imperator' has been officially registered under the Swedish flag. This followed the reflagging of the Suezmax tanker 'Stena Superior' in Shenzhen in September 2026. These were the fourth and fifth reflaggings completed under the program Stena Bulk announced in July 2025 to bring vessels into the Swedish Register of Shipping. The 'Stena Imperator's reflagging was completed on Oct 11 in San Francisco. The product and chemical tanker was built by the Guangzhou Shipbuilding International (GSI) and delivered in 2017. It was the first vessel of Stena Bulk's IMOIIMAX design to join the programme, which was designed to strengthen Sweden's maritime sector and its competitiveness as a flag state, support the country's national preparedness and strategic resilience, and create opportunities for Swedish seafarers. It followed recent reforms that have made the Swedish register more competitive, including the removal of stamp duty, a competitive tonnage tax and an improved Ship Register. Report with photo: https://www.marinelink.com/news/stena-bulk-registers-fourth-fifth-vessels-543622
