Iran Attacked A Tanker Belonging To The Kremlin's Shadow Fleet
- 2.11.2026, 15:07
The explosions caused a fire to break out on the ship.
The Panama-flagged oil tanker LOUISE 1 (IMO: 9290323), which Ukraine had added to its sanctions list for transporting Russian oil, was attacked on October 29 in the Strait of Hormuz. The explosions caused a fire on board the vessel. In July 2026, the LOUISE 1 had already been targeted by Ukrainian maritime drones in the Black Sea, according to The Insider.
According to Reuters, citing sources in the maritime security sector, the attack took place approximately 25 nautical miles (46 km) northeast of the Omani city of Khasab. A small boat approached the tanker, and unidentified individuals attached two magnetic mines to its port side. Following the explosions, a fire broke out in the engine room, and the vessel temporarily lost propulsion.
The Financial Times reports that Iran is behind the attack.
There were 27 crew members on board—all Indian nationals. None of them were injured. The fire was extinguished, after which the tanker resumed its voyage. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to OSINT analysts, at the time of the attack, the LOUISE 1 was carrying approximately 1 million barrels of Saudi oil. There is no independent confirmation of the cargo’s origin or volume yet.
The LOUISE 1 is a Suezmax-class tanker built in 2004. Its deadweight is approximately 159,000 metric tons. The vessel is registered under the Panamanian flag.
According to data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence reviewed by The Insider, the tanker regularly called at Russian oil ports, including Primorsk, Novorossiysk, and Ust-Luga. The database records 36 visits to Russian ports since May 2020. The registered owner of the vessel is listed as the Panamanian company Aquarius Maritime Ventures SA; the operator is PRY Shipping LLC, registered in the UAE; and the technical manager is the Indian company Anagha Ship Management.
The last AIS signal available in the saved Starboard report was received on September 28, 2026, off the coast of the UAE, near Khor Fakkan. There are no later coordinates in the provided data dump, which makes it impossible to determine the tanker’s route immediately prior to the attack.
According to data from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, in February 2026, the LOUISE 1 transported nearly 735,000 barrels of Urals crude from the Russian port of Primorsk, in March it delivered more than 1 million barrels from Novorossiysk to India, and in May it transported another 1 million barrels of Russian oil, including on behalf of Lukoil. Ukraine imposed sanctions against the tanker on February 12, 2026.
In addition, according to OSINT analysts, in 2024, the LOUISE 1 received 4.65 million barrels of Iranian oil during 16 ship-to-ship (STS) transshipments.
In July 2026, the LOUISE 1 was attacked by Ukrainian maritime drones in the Black Sea. As The Insider previously reported, the tanker was used to transport Russian oil in circumvention of Western restrictions. A video of the attack was released after the July incident.