Story perspectives

U.S. Seizes Stateless Tanker Davina Carrying Iranian Oil

6/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command boarded the stateless tanker Davina near Sri Lanka on the night of June 5 2026 and placed it under U.S. control.
The Davina, listed under a false Curaçao registry, had been sanctioned in October 2024 for transporting Iranian oil.
INDOPACOM said the vessel, which had carried roughly 20 million barrels of Iranian oil since 2024, marked its third stateless tanker capture since mid-April after the April 21 Tifani and April 23 Majestic X boardings.

History

Historical Context

In December 2006 the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1737, freezing assets of about 1,000 Iranian individuals and firms—including the National Iranian Oil Company—and targeting Iran’s nuclear and energy sectors. The resolution marked the start of a sanctions regime that U.S. naval forces now enforce by interdicting Iranian oil tankers in the Indian Ocean, echoing the 2026 INDOPACOM boarding of the stateless tanker Davina.

1 of 2

Story summary

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command boarded the stateless tanker Davina near Sri Lanka on the night of June 5 2026 and placed it under U.S. control.
The Davina, listed under a false Curaçao registry, had been sanctioned in October 2024 for transporting Iranian oil.
INDOPACOM said the vessel, which had carried roughly 20 million barrels of Iranian oil since 2024, marked its third stateless tanker capture since mid-April after the April 21 Tifani and April 23 Majestic X boardings.

1 / 2