Iranian Tankers Storing Oil Reach Two-Year Low, Gibson Says

The number of Iranian tankers used to store oil at sea slid to a two-year low as more of the ships were deployed to carry crude to Asia before the U.S. and Europe tighten sanctions on exports, said E.A. Gibson Shipbrokers Ltd.

Four very large crude carriers, each able to hold 2 million barrels, are in use to store Iranian oil, down from 16 at the end of last year, the London-based shipbroker said today in a report. That’s the lowest monthly total since the start of 2010 and may signal a change in the country’s policy on transporting crude to customers, Gibson said.