US forces board sanctioned tanker MT Davina in Indian Ocean

U.S. forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean overnight, the latest in an expanding maritime enforcement campaign targeting vessels accused of supporting Iran's energy trade. The operation was confirmed by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Friday.

According to the military, forces conducted a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the stateless vessel MT Davina. The command stated its forces will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate. Footage released by the command showed armed helicopters circling the supertanker before troops fast-roped onto its deck.

The Davina, a vessel capable of carrying up to two million barrels of crude oil, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in October 2024. Officials said at the time that the tanker had delivered Iranian oil to Chinese refineries and was operating in support of Iran's state oil company as part of what they described as Iran's "shadow fleet." The vessel was reportedly almost fully laden with an oil cargo at the time of the interdiction, according to shipping data.