Aye, There Be Ghost Ships: Iran’s Shadow Fleet.
Indeed, the seas teem with spectral vessels these days—ghost ships that glide unseen, ferrying forbidden cargo under cloaks of deception. In the South China Sea and beyond, Iran's notorious "shadow fleet" (or "ghost fleet") operates as a clandestine armada, enabling Tehran to smuggle oil despite international sanctions. This network, comprising hundreds of aging tankers, shell companies, and illicit logistics, primarily funnels Iranian crude to China via high-risk ship-to-ship (STS) transfers. These shadowy handoffs often unfold in the Strait of Malacca, off Malaysia's coast—particularly in the Riau Archipelago and Eastern Outer Port Limits—posing grave risks to the environment,…