Boatfag Report

First, a quick update on the four Irainian tankers that have been out of coastal AIS range:

PETUNIA, FAXON and CLAVEL continue to be out of range on both major tracking sites. An anon posted what was believed to be a brief random hit on CLAVEL yesterday near the British Virgin Islands and it was considered possible she took the shorter circle route and the Iranians might be trying to come from multiple points on the compass to get through any sanctions enforcement. However, that is uncorroborated and now considered unlikely because CLAVEL has not appeared on any other coastal AIS hits in the Carribean Sea, and she would have appeared by now.

FOREST has appeared on vesselfinder.com. She is reportedly about 67 nm ESE of Barbados on a heading of 245 deg. at 14 kts. She is clearly headed to the entrance of the straits between Juan Griego Island and the northern coast of Venezuela. Her current position is about where she was estimated to appear from the Boatfag Analysis Report three days ago, and she's within about 6 hours of her expected time to reappear on scope.

The first tanker to arrive, FORTUNE, is currently NE of Isla La Tortuga. I don't see any reports of whether she went north around Juan Griego or pass through the strait, but oddly she has taken the northern route around the Tortugas. The expected port of call at Puerto La Cruz is out - she has already passed that, so she is either heading into the Jose terminal at Caracas or Puerto Cabello.

The Veener Navy escorts that briefly appeared on scope last night are no longer showing up.

As usual, the US Navy is completely off scope in that area.