The US military has adopted Iran's "grey shipping" model and may have already transported nearly 90 million barrels of Gulf crude oil BlockBeats reported on June 17th that according to a Reuters investigation, the US military is suspected of establishing an unconventional ship to ship (STS) crude oil transfer network to maintain the operation of energy export channels in the Gulf region, amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the impact of Iran's blockade. According to multiple informed sources cited in the report, the operation has been launched since early May 2026 and has involved at least 116 oil tankers, with the potential to transport approximately 90 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products. The main operating areas are located in the waters off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates and near the port of Suhar in Oman. Satellite imagery shows that oil tankers have been intensively berthed and transshipped in the area recently, with more than ten groups of ships operating simultaneously during some periods. According to informed sources, when entering sensitive waters, relevant vessels will turn off AIS responders and reduce visible signals to avoid tracking, which is highly similar to Iran's long-standing use of sanctions evasion shipping methods. The report pointed out that the system relies on coordination, scheduling, and monitoring support from the US, including drones, helicopters, and maritime surveillance resources, but did not confirm direct involvement of the US military in loading and unloading operations. The US Department of Defense responded that the Central Command troops did not participate in the offshore STS transfer operation. At the same time, the security situation in the Gulf remained tense during the operation of the transportation network, with unidentified weapon attacks on oil tankers occurring in the Gulf of Oman and some areas experiencing peak oil tanker operations. Analysis suggests that this energy transportation method, which relies on temporary transfer and covert scheduling, has obvious "grey shipping" characteristics, with lower efficiency than normal strait passage, but has become an alternative solution to maintain global crude oil flow in the context of geopolitical conflicts. Reuters estimates that the transportation scale of this system is still significantly lower than the pre war daily throughput of about 20 million barrels in the Strait of Hormuz, and is more seen as an emergency replenishment mechanism rather than a long-term solution. [Original link]