US adds more Asian shipping firms to its Iran sanctions list

More ships and shipping firms have been added to America’s lengthy list of sanctions relating to Iran.

The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added many more companies to its Iran sanctions list including Qingdao-based Global Marine Ship Management, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co, Vietnamese owner Golden Lotus, and Dubai-based owner player Swedish Management.

Tanker watchers looking to read the diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran will take yesterday’s decision to target more Iranian-linked maritime firms as a sign that sanctions are still some way away from being lifted.