Three Seized Iranian Oil Tankers Carrying 6 Million Barrels Of Oil Head Towards U.S.

Three tankers seized by the United States are now crossing the Atlantic carrying nearly six million barrels of Iranian crude oil worth about $600 million, according to tanker-tracking data and reports published on September 24.

The vessels, Majestic X, Tifani and Lenore, were all sailing in the Atlantic on Thursday. Their navigation signals did not show a final destination at the time.

TankerTrackers said on September 23 that the oil was heading towards the United States. A review of maritime data by Voice of America found that the Majestic X and Tifani were moving from waters near South America towards Galveston, Texas.

The United States seized the vessels as part of its blockade of Iranian ports, which Washington linked to Iran’s near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the US-Israeli offensive against Iran began in late February.

The Majestic X and Tifani were off the coast of Brazil on September 24, according to commodities tracking company Kpler. Both were seized by US forces in April after loading oil in Iran.

Before their seizures, the Majestic X had listed China as its destination, while the Tifani had shown Singapore.

The Majestic X is carrying about 1.88 million barrels of Iranian crude worth around $200 million, according to reports. Kpler data showed that the tanker had listed a US destination between July 31 and August 2, when it was off Malaysia.

The vessel, which is stateless and was previously known as Phoenix, was seized in the Indian Ocean in April while travelling towards China.

The Lenore rounded the Cape of Good Hope on September 22 before entering the Atlantic. US forces seized the supertanker in the Indian Ocean in early June. No destination was shown when it was intercepted, according to the supplied information.

A tanker’s destination signal does not always show where it is actually heading. Vessels linked to Iranian oil trading can change their routes, signals or documentary status.

The US Navy intercepted the tankers under a blockade of Iranian ports. The blockade was presented as a response to Iran’s near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israeli offensive launched on Iranian territory in late February.

The US Department of Defense has said the operations are intended to “disrupt illicit networks and intercept vessels providing material support to Iran.”

According to US Central Command, the first phase of the blockade ran from April 13 to June 18. The United States announced that it would resume the blockade on July 14.

The United States also seized other tankers linked to Iranian oil exports in the Indian Ocean earlier this spring.

One of them, the Skyview, was seized in May, according to reports published at the time. The vessel remains in Asian waters, according to the supplied reports.

The US Department of Defense has said naval operations against networks violating sanctions will continue. It has also said international waters must not become a haven for sanctioned vessels.

Oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain much lower than they were before the disruption.

The US Energy Information Administration said in its August 2026 Short-Term Energy Outlook that an average of 4.9 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products moved through the strait each day in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 21.6 million barrels per day in the fourth quarter of 2025.

References: energynews, iranwire