How Iran-linked oil tanker seized by India went dark after entering Pak's sea zone

One of the three US-sanctioned, Iran-linked oil tankers seized by the Indian Coast Guard earlier this month off Mumbai had spent days inside Pakistan’s maritime boundary with its tracking systems switched off, according to an FIR accessed by India Today TV.

The vessel, MT Asphalt Star, was detected operating suspiciously in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between January 20 and January 28.

Investigators said that on January 28 the tanker went completely “dark” for about 11 hours, disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS), Very High Frequency (VHF) radio and onboard sensors, while concealing its identity.

The Coast Guard described the behaviour as “highly suspicious” and consistent with illicit maritime activity.

The FIR, registered at Mumbai’s Yellow Gate police station, which has jurisdiction over India’s EEZ off the city’s coast, relates to the February 4–5 interdiction of three tankers in the Arabian Sea: MT Asphalt Star, MT Al Jafzia, and MT Stellar Ruby.

Officials said the vessels were operating in proximity and conducting illegal ship-to-ship fuel transfers without notifying Indian authorities. Investigators alleged that:

About 30 metric tonnes of heavy fuel oil were unlawfully transferred to MT Al Jafzia in India’s EEZ using forged documents, while 5,473 metric tonnes of bitumen (VG-40) were transferred to MT Stellar Ruby.

All three ships used AIS spoofing and false identity data to evade detection.

Authorities also found that MT Stellar Ruby had earlier entered Karwar port using forged Protection & Indemnity (P&I) insurance certificates, while MT Al Jafzia allegedly used fake documentation to enter Alang shipbreaking yard in Gujarat.

According to the FIR, Coast Guard surveillance on February 4 spotted a Mali-flagged tanker loitering in “hot lay-up” condition in the Arabian Sea. When contacted, the ship repeatedly changed its declared identity and destination.

A Coast Guard vessel intercepted MT Asphalt Star around 2 am on February 5 and boarded it by 6 am. The crew claimed they were sailing to Mangaluru.

Investigators later found the ship’s AIS and VHF were broadcasting false voyage data, and that it carried only a temporary registration certificate issued in Bamako, Mali on January 30. The vessel also lacked mandatory P&I insurance.

The tanker had 22 crew members aboard. Examination of the master’s phone allegedly showed communications via WhatsApp with overseas handlers and company officials.

The FIR names multiple accused including the masters and engineers of all three vessels, as well as the owner of the operating firm Star Shipping Management, alleging criminal conspiracy, smuggling and document forgery under customs, shipping, IT and petroleum laws.

Officials said the three ships acted “in collusion and conspiracy” to conduct illegal fuel trade and conceal movements.

India’s action follows the seizure of three tankers this month that Western authorities have linked to Iranian oil networks. The National Iranian Oil Company has denied any connection to the vessels.

A source told Reuters that the ships frequently changed names and ownership structures to evade coastal enforcement — a tactic commonly associated with sanctions-busting maritime trade.

- Ends