BRIGHT GOLD
Vessel designated on OFAC SDN list 19 May 2026 as an Iran-linked procurement shell.
Last refreshed: 21 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why does OFAC keep designating shell tankers while leaving Chinese refineries untouched?
Timeline for BRIGHT GOLD
Designated vessel in OFAC 19 May SDN round
Iran Conflict 2026: OFAC SDN round skips mainland refineries againMentioned in: OFAC sb0502: 50 entities, 19 vessels, no refinery
Iran Conflict 2026What is the BRIGHT GOLD vessel on the OFAC SDN list?
Why are shell tankers sanctioned instead of Chinese refineries buying Iranian oil?
Who owns the BRIGHT GOLD tanker and where does it operate?
Background
BRIGHT GOLD is a vessel designated by OFAC on 19 May 2026 as part of a broader SDN round targeting Iran-linked shipping networks. The designation was one of several vessel listings in that round, which also named FEADSHIP, LUNA LUSTER, MIDAS, and QUANTUM STAR alongside individuals and corporate entities across Hong Kong, the UAE, Marshall Islands, Panama, Liberia, Nevis, China and the UK.
Full technical particulars for BRIGHT GOLD (IMO number, flag state, tonnage, registered owner) are not confirmed in available sources at time of writing. The vessel's registration in one of the named jurisdictions (Marshall Islands, Panama or Liberia are the most common flags of convenience for such networks) is probable but not verified. Like other vessels in this SDN round, BRIGHT GOLD exemplifies the layered Shell structure OFAC targets: beneficial ownership traceable to Iran's procurement network, with a flag-of-convenience registration creating legal distance.
The structural significance of this round is what it omits: zero mainland Chinese refineries were added, continuing the pattern from 11, 12 and 15 May rounds. Shell vessels like BRIGHT GOLD absorb the public enforcement action while the major throughput route — Chinese refinery offtake — remains untouched.
