Detained Oil Tanker Adventure Sweet Finally Leaves Iran

The oil tanker Adventure Sweet, detained by Iran for over a year, has been released and is now heading towards international waters. According to Marine Traffic data, the crude oil tanker departed from Bandar Abbas Anchorage, Iran, on Thursday, July 11.

On April 27, 2023, the Adventure Sweet, registered under the Marshall Islands, was boarded by Iranian troops in the Gulf of Oman. Iran claimed the tanker had collided with an Iranian boat in the area and continued without addressing the incident.

However, it is believed that Iran's seizure of the vessel was in retaliation for U.S. court actions. A U.S. court had ordered the seizure of Iranian cargo from the oil tanker Suez Rajan, with proceeds designated for a compensation fund for victims of the September 11 attacks in the United States. In August 2023, the oil from Suez Rajan was offloaded on the Texas coast.

In March 2024, a Tehran court ordered the seizure of Adventure Sweet's cargo, valued at $50 million. Reports indicated that the seized cargo would be used to fund a compensation program for Iranian patients suffering from Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare genetic skin disorder.

A Swedish medical company, which manufactures special dressings and bandages for Epidermolysis Bullosa, had restricted these supplies to Iran following sanctions imposed by the U.S. and other Western countries.

On July 11, the Iranian court issued a verdict ordering the U.S. government to pay $6.8 billion to patients suffering from Epidermolysis Bullosa.

Currently, the Adventure Sweet is in a ballast state and is scheduled to arrive at Khor Fakkan, UAE, on July 12.