Oil sanctions have spawned a thriving shadow fleet that has ensnared Indians desperate for jobs

When the crew on board a small fishing vessel off of Dubai saw a coast guard speedboat racing through the darkness, they prepared for the worst, hoisting an iron shield on the bridge in an improvised attempt to guard against potential gunfire.

Their vessel, the Meigou-4, sailed from Iran to United Arab Emirates waters every day to meet another boat with a motorised hose pipe to draw out its cargo of Iranian fuel. This process, known as ship-to-ship transfer, is a fundamental part of a vast smuggling network that generates tens of billions of dollars in revenue each year.

Shubham Singh, a 23-year-old Indian seafarer on the Meigou, did not know he would be involved in the transportation of sanctioned Iranian diesel when he was recruited in late 2020 for what he believed was the next chapter in a promising career at sea.

Four months later, he was staring at the lights of a fast-approaching coast guard vessel, terrified he would face imprisonment – or worse, if shots were fired.

“After discovering the illegal fuel smuggling operation, I was trapped at sea with no internet,” Singh said in an interview over WhatsApp. “My only solace was prayer, hoping nothing would happen to me.”

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