Nine tankers seized by the US since it began taking direct action against the so-called shadow fleet that transport illicit oil around the world have delivered more than 20 million barrels of Iranian crude to China since 2013, according to the WSJ. The figures form part of a new report that provides an insight into the level of support China has given Iran by buying its sanctioned oil.
Between 2013 and 2025, these nine vessels delivered 20.3 million barrels of Iranian crude to Chinese ports, the report said, citing data from Kpler. The vessels also carried 37.9 million barrels of Venezuelan crude and 11.1 million barrels of Russian crude to Chinese ports.
Altogether, that crude is worth at least $4 billion, according to the report, which is set to be released soon by Republicans on the House Select Committee on China, and seen by The Wall Street Journal.
To be sure, the amount from the seized vessels represents just a small fraction of the oil China has imported from Iran, a process which has accelerated since the Iran was started, lifting Iran’s output to the highest in years.
Still, it underscores how China has been a major user of the shadow fleet, bankrolling Iran, as well as Venezuela and Russia. In 2025, China received a third of the crude oil carried by shadow and sanctioned tankers and 10% of heavy refined products such as fuel oil and crude residuals, the report said, citing Kpler data.
Shadow fleet vessels carrying sanctioned cargo have also used China’s BeiDou satellite navigation in an effort to operate outside Western oversight, the report said. BeiDou is Beijing’s answer to the U.S. Global Positioning System, or GPS, and offers positioning, navigation and timing data globally. China’s Foreign Ministry didn’t respond to a request for comment.
