Iran Releases Greek Tanker Seized Two Years Ago

A Greek-owned tanker that was caught in a series of back-and-forth maneuvers between the United States and Iran in 2023 and 2024 has quietly been released two years after the Iranians seized the ship and said they were taking its oil cargo. The move comes as Iran appears to be making moves to ease tensions with the West, as the regime is also facing widespread unrest inside the country.

The tracking service TankerTrackers.com broke the news on Monday, reporting on X.com that the tanker St. Nikolas (158,573 dwt) had quietly been released. It later said the tanker, which had been held since January 2024, was on its way to Oman.

Bloomberg is quoting a statement from the tanker's manager, Empire Navigation, that confirmed the ship reached Oman on January 10, and that the crew is in good health. They are reporting that the Iranians damaged some of the equipment aboard the vessel while holding it to prevent its detection. Iran initially had said it was seizing the oil cargo aboard in retaliation for a U.S. seizure, but Reuters reported months later that Iran quietly released the oil in a ship-to-ship transfer.

The release of the tanker ends more than three years of drama as the U.S. started chasing the vessel’s cargo. Then known as the Suez Raja, the ship was held off Singapore, and in 2023, the U.S. went to court, winning an order to seize the cargo. Empire Navigation agreed to assist the U.S. and pay a fine, and bring the ship to Houston, Texas, where it was offloaded. The vessel later abandoned her identity, quietly slipping away in September 2023 under the new ID of St Nikolas.

Iran had vowed retaliation and in January 2024 seized the tanker while it was outbound from the Persian Gulf with a cargo of Iraqi oil. Iranian forces directed the ship to port and took it into custody. A Greek cadet was released shortly after, and the captors permitted a crew change later in 2024.

There was no statement on what led up to the vessel’s release, but it comes as Donald Trump has threatened U.S. action if the regime acts against the protestors who have taken to the streets in Iran demanding economic reforms. Trump has been reported to be considering military action, but on Sunday night told reporters that Iran wanted to meet with the U.S. in an effort to reduce tensions. Trump has said that a meeting would be arranged, but continues to threaten unspecified actions in support of the demonstrators. Reports indicate that many have already been killed, but the Iranian government started a blackout on news over the weekend and shut down Internet access.

Iran has continued to hold several Western vessels seized during various actions in the Persian Gulf. It also holds the MSC Aries, a containership that was seized in support of the Houthis’ actions in the Red Sea. Last fall, Iran announced it was seeking a $170 million “fine” from the vessel’s owners, Zodiac Maritime, after saying the vessel was held for violating “maritime regulations.”