Surge in ‘dark’ calls to China’s Dongying port signals growth hub for sanctioned oil trade
- Dark calls to Dongying surged to 35 so far this year from zero in 2024
- Vessel tracking and cargo data shows the tankers carried oil from Iran or Russia
- All ships turned off their AIS signals upon approaching Dongying, only reactivating them days later
Surge in stealthy tanker visits highlights Dongying’s growing valve role for bypassing sanctioned oil trade