Chinese tanker goes dark and changes name in apparent ploy to avoid US sanctions

Published August 16, 2019 4:59pm ET



A Chinese-owned oil tanker appears to have swapped names mid-journey in an attempt to evade U.S. sanctions.

The very large crude carrier Pacific Bravo was sailing from the Persian Gulf off the coast of Iran toward the Strait of Malacca when its transponder shut off, known as going dark, and hid the vessel’s location from satellite tracking, according to Reuters.

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