US-blocked VLCC Jaya skirts sanctions with scrapped ship masquerade
- The VLCC Jaya, sanctioned by the US for Iranian oil transport, repeatedly changed its name and MMSI numbers in yet another case of using the identity of a scrapped ship to disguise its movements
- Through AIS and GNSS spoofing, Jaya broadcast false positions and identities, making it appear as multiple vessels and complicating tracking by authorities and analysts
- Satellite imagery and port records show Jaya (operating as Quasar/Assos) successfully delivered Iranian crude into a major Chinese port, highlighting the increasing sophistication of sanction evasion tactics
Sanctioned VLCC Jaya evaded detection by repeatedly changing its name and MMSI numbers, adopting the identity of a scrapped ship and spoofing AIS/GNSS data — enabling it to covertly transport Iranian oil to China despite tightening US sanctions and global surveillance
