For the month of August, there were two tankers that arrived to Syria from the Kharg Island, Iran. We confirmed both vessels as SEA SHARK (August 8^th^) and RISE DIGNITY (August 23^rd^).
We also spotted a refined product tanker called MR NAUTILUS (August 25^th^), which came in from a refinery in Bandar Abbas, Iran. All of these imports were done in a clandestine manner, but not just on import, but also on export out of Iran. They’re switching off their AIS transponders on both ends, which is new, but likely tied in with the coming US sanctions.
And then there is Syria’s neighbor, Israel. All of the crude oil that comes into the country is also transported in a clandestine manner; where AIS is switched off well ahead of arrival. Product tankers aren’t always ordered to do so, but crude oil coming to Ashkelon seems to have that modus operandi. It was a slow month for Israeli imports, but a stronger one for Syria. For comparison; please see July’s report.
Syria August 2018 Crude Oil Imports in Barrels Per Day
| Source | Barrels Per Day | Total Barrels | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iran | 59,696 | 1,850,574 | |
| Total | 59,696 | 1,850,574 | |
| Revenue ($77.42/barrel) | $4,621,659 | $143,271,443 |
Israel August 2018 Crude Oil Imports in Barrels Per Day
| Source | Barrels Per Day | Total Barrels | Percentage by Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kurdistan Regional Government | 106,674 | 3,306,894 | 47.51% |
| Azerbaijan | 57,581 | 1,785,011 | 25.64% |
| Russia | 32,887 | 1,019,497 | 14.65% |
| Angola | 27,390 | 849,090 | 12.20% |
| Total | 224,532 | 6,960,492 | |
| Revenue ($77.42/barrel) | $17,383,267 | $538,881,291 |
*Image courtesy of Planet Labs.