Tehran: An Iranian supertanker carrying nearly $220 million worth of oil has successfully evaded US blockade efforts, TankerTrackers reported Sunday. The vessel, owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), managed to slip past US Navy surveillance and is now en route to the Far East.

According to Anadolu Agency, the supertanker, identified as 'HUGE' with the registration number 9357183, was last observed near Sri Lanka more than a week ago. It is currently navigating through the Lombok Strait in Indonesia, heading towards the Riau Archipelago. The vessel is transporting over 1.9 million barrels of crude oil, valued at approximately $220 million.

The tanker has not emitted Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals since March 20. It initially departed from the Strait of Malacca with a destination set for Iran, based on maritime tracking data. The absence of AIS signals has made it challenging for US forces to monitor its movements, allowing the vessel to evade the blockade.