By Ujwal Jalali
New Delhi, Apr 4, 2026
An Iranian crude tanker that had been headed to India suddenly changed course as it neared arrival and began signalling a Chinese port, reviving uncertainty about a potential restart of oil shipments from Tehran to New Delhi.
Ship-tracking data from energy intelligence firm Kpler show the vessel Ping Shun — previously indicating Vadinar in Gujarat as its destination — is now signalling Dongying in China’s Shandong province. Built in 2002 and sanctioned by the United States in 2025, the tanker was carrying an estimated 600,000 barrels of Iranian crude and had been expected to reach India this week. If it had docked, it would have marked India’s first import of Iranian oil in nearly seven years, after imports halted in 2019 amid tightened US sanctions.
The vessel altered its declared destination in mid-voyage, a move analysts say highlights the tangled practicalities around sanctions compliance, payment channels and insurance risks tied to Iranian oil trade. Kpler analysts noted that AIS-designated destinations are fluid and can change again during transit, underscoring uncertainty in maritime movements.
India’s central government said it had no specific information about any Iranian oil-bearing vessel bound for India, even as earlier reports had suggested Ping Shun might dock at Vadinar around April 4. Since May 2019, Indian refiners have diversified away from Iranian crude — sourcing more from Russia, other Middle Eastern suppliers and elsewhere — after US sanctions cut off Tehran as a reliable supplier.
Recent geopolitical shifts and tightening supplies had prompted speculation that some Iranian flows might resume to India, but the tanker’s last-minute diversion highlights persistent structural, financial and legal hurdles that complicate a return to Iranian crude.
Separately, industry sources say three Indian-flagged LPG vessels are due to arrive in India in the coming days. LPG carrier Green Sanvi, carrying about 44,000 tonnes, is currently transiting the Strait of Hormuz and is positioned near the Gulf of Oman. Two more Indian-flag vessels, Green Asha and Jag Vikram, are expected to follow shortly.
