US Forces Board Sanctioned Stateless Tanker Carrying Iranian Oil

US forces boarding tanker — US forces boarding the stateless sanctioned tanker Davina in the Indian Ocean (INDOPACOM)

The United States has carried out another interdiction of a stateless tanker in the Indian Ocean. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command reported the boarding of the tanker, which was reported to have been attempting to hide approximately 20 miles southwest of Sri Lanka.

INDOPACOM identified the tanker as Davina (300,976 dwt), although most databases list the vessel as Lenore. It is claiming a false registry in Curacao and, before that, had also falsely claimed it was sailing under the flag of Palau. Built in 2004, the vessel is listed as having been sold in October 2024 to unknown buyers and operators. The United States sanctioned the tanker in October 2024 for its involvement in the Iranian oil trade.

Overnight, U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel MT DAVINA located in the Indian Ocean within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.

We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks… pic.twitter.com/7sNPNx0doN
— U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (@INDOPACOM) June 5, 2026

TankerTrackers.com reports the vessel is currently transporting 1.9 million barrels of Iranian crude oil loaded on March 20 at Kharg Island. They report that the tanker has transported roughly 20 million barrels of Iranian oil since 2024.

The vessel left the Gulf before the U.S. began imposing the blockade. TankerTrackers.com reports it has been hiding off the coast of Sri Lanka for the past six weeks.

Tanker with its anchor down and a USN vessel in the background (INDOPACOM)

It is the third stateless tanker that INDOPACOM has reported seizing since mid-April. On April 21, the U.S. seized the Tifani and two days later, on April 23, stopped the Majestic X (aka Phonix), both also sailing in the Indian Ocean or Bay of Bengal. A third tanker, Skywave (aka Blue Gulf), was reported by The Wall Street Journal as having been stopped in May, but not formally acknowledged by the Pentagon.

Today’s interdiction, like the past ones, shows images of U.S. forces using helicopters to board the tanker. In one image, the vessel is seen to have its anchor down. In the background, a U.S. Navy Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base appears to be involved in the boarding.

CENTCOM also reported today, June 5, that U.S. forces have now redirected a total of 129 commercial vessels and disabled 6 vessels to ensure compliance with the U.S.-imposed blockade of Iranian shipping and ports.