Iranian oil tanker arrives near Gujarat unannounced; Why refiners may not take it
The very large crude carrier (VLCC) Derya reached waters off Gujarat on Tuesday
- Apr 15, 2026,
- Updated Apr 15, 2026 5:24 PM IST
An Iranian oil tanker carrying an estimated 2 million barrels of crude has arrived near Gujarat without a declared destination or buyer, according to a report by The Indian Express. The Indian refiners, however, may not accept the cargo, the report said.
Must Read: What explains India’s Energy Insecurity
The very large crude carrier (VLCC) Derya reached waters off Gujarat on Tuesday. The tanker was likely loaded with Iranian crude on March 28, according to vessel tracking data from Kpler. This places it beyond the cut-off date under a US sanctions waiver that permits the sale of Iranian oil loaded on tankers before March 20.
On March 20, the Trump administration issued a 30-day sanctions waiver allowing the sale of Iranian oil stranded at sea, in a bid to ease global energy supply pressures. The waiver permitted the sale of Iranian crude and petroleum products already loaded on vessels between March 20 and April 19, according to a Treasury Department license.
Under the waiver, accepting cargo loaded after the deadline could expose buyers to secondary US sanctions, making Indian refiners unlikely to take the shipment.
The report noted that while India has recently purchased some Iranian oil following the waiver, those shipments complied with the cut-off timeline.
The US has also indicated it will not extend the sanctions waiver.
On Monday, the US Navy began a blockade of Iranian ports after talks between Washington and Tehran failed.
Against this backdrop, the report, citing sources, said Derya may struggle to find buyers, except possibly China. The tanker is sanctioned by the US and operated by Iran's National Iranian Tanker Company, according to global shipping databases.
Data from Kpler’s MarineTraffic service showed the vessel remained close to Gujarat as of Wednesday afternoon, with little movement since its arrival.
Following the US waiver, at least two tankers carrying Iranian oil and one carrying liquefied petroleum gas reached Indian ports in recent days, marking the first such energy supplies from Iran to India in nearly seven years.
An Iranian oil tanker carrying an estimated 2 million barrels of crude has arrived near Gujarat without a declared destination or buyer, according to a report by The Indian Express. The Indian refiners, however, may not accept the cargo, the report said.
Must Read: What explains India’s Energy Insecurity
The very large crude carrier (VLCC) Derya reached waters off Gujarat on Tuesday. The tanker was likely loaded with Iranian crude on March 28, according to vessel tracking data from Kpler. This places it beyond the cut-off date under a US sanctions waiver that permits the sale of Iranian oil loaded on tankers before March 20.
On March 20, the Trump administration issued a 30-day sanctions waiver allowing the sale of Iranian oil stranded at sea, in a bid to ease global energy supply pressures. The waiver permitted the sale of Iranian crude and petroleum products already loaded on vessels between March 20 and April 19, according to a Treasury Department license.
Under the waiver, accepting cargo loaded after the deadline could expose buyers to secondary US sanctions, making Indian refiners unlikely to take the shipment.
The report noted that while India has recently purchased some Iranian oil following the waiver, those shipments complied with the cut-off timeline.
The US has also indicated it will not extend the sanctions waiver.
On Monday, the US Navy began a blockade of Iranian ports after talks between Washington and Tehran failed.
Against this backdrop, the report, citing sources, said Derya may struggle to find buyers, except possibly China. The tanker is sanctioned by the US and operated by Iran's National Iranian Tanker Company, according to global shipping databases.
Data from Kpler’s MarineTraffic service showed the vessel remained close to Gujarat as of Wednesday afternoon, with little movement since its arrival.
Following the US waiver, at least two tankers carrying Iranian oil and one carrying liquefied petroleum gas reached Indian ports in recent days, marking the first such energy supplies from Iran to India in nearly seven years.