Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
And why the West can’t stop it
Check out https://ground.news/searchparty for 40% off unlimited access with the Vantage Plan. Access international sources and compare how stories are framed across different outlets in one place to get the full picture on any news event.
This video explains how shadow fleets let countries like Iran and Russia keep selling oil even when much of the world is trying to cut them off. It shows how these ships hide behind fake or shifting identities, obscure ownership, weak insurance, switched-off transponders, and ship-to-ship transfers to move oil outside the normal rules of global trade. It then argues that the chaos in the Strait of Hormuz has made these vessels even more important, because when normal shipping pulls back, shadow tankers are often among the few still willing to carry sanctioned crude. In that sense, the crisis is not just raising oil prices — it is giving the hidden shipping network that keeps these regimes in business an even bigger advantage.
Join Newpress, our community-driven hub for creator journalism: newpress.com/start
Welcome to Search Party!
Search Party is an independent, video news show that combines experienced journalism and visual design to decode the most complex stories in international sports and geopolitics.
Subscribe and turn on notifications 🔔 so you don't miss any videos: youtube.com/@SearchParty
Become a Search Party Original member today: youtube.com/channel/UC7KbIaEOuY7H2j-cvhJ3mYA/join
Johnny Harris: youtube.com/@johnnyharris
Christophe Haubursin’s Tunnel Vision: youtube.com/@christophe
Max Fisher's The Bigger Picture: youtube.com/@maxfisher
Original music for this video was composed by Tom Fox.
About:
Search Party is led and produced by Sam Ellis, a journalist, director, editor, and animator based in New York City. For more than 6 years, Ellis produced the hugely popular video series, Vox Atlas, for which he earned an Emmy nomination. He specializes in breaking down the most complex new stories and presenting them with a refreshing, accessible, and engaging visual style.
He’s produced explainers on some of the world’s thorniest geopolitical stories; from corruption scandals in Latin America, conflict in the Middle East, and the rise of China, to the world of sports; the Monaco Grand Prix, the FIFA corruption scandal, and the 100-foot waves of Nazaré, Portugal. Ellis has also directed multiple episodes of TV; notably on Netflix’s ‘Explained’ and HBO Sport’s ‘Level Playing Field’.
Got story ideas or tips? Reach out to the team at:
Twitter: twitter.com/swellis_
Email: sam.ellis@newpress.com
And why the West can’t stop it
Check out https://ground.news/searchparty for 40% off unlimited access with the Vantage Plan. Access international sources and compare how stories are framed across different outlets in one place to get the full picture on any news event.
This video explains how shadow fleets let countries like Iran and Russia keep selling oil even when much of the world is trying to cut them off. It shows how these ships hide behind fake or shifting identities, obscure ownership, weak insurance, switched-off transponders, and ship-to-ship transfers to move oil outside the normal rules of global trade. It then argues that the chaos in the Strait of Hormuz has made these vessels even more important, because when normal shipping pulls back, shadow tankers are often among the few still willing to carry sanctioned crude. In that sense, the crisis is not just raising oil prices — it is giving the hidden shipping network that keeps these regimes in business an even bigger advantage.
Join Newpress, our community-driven hub for creator journalism: newpress.com/start
Welcome to Search Party!
Search Party is an independent, video news show that combines experienced journalism and visual design to decode the most complex stories in international sports and geopolitics.
Subscribe and turn on notifications 🔔 so you don't miss any videos: youtube.com/@SearchParty
Become a Search Party Original member today: youtube.com/channel/UC7KbIaEOuY7H2j-cvhJ3mYA/join
Johnny Harris: youtube.com/@johnnyharris
Christophe Haubursin’s Tunnel Vision: youtube.com/@christophe
Max Fisher's The Bigger Picture: youtube.com/@maxfisher
Original music for this video was composed by Tom Fox.
About:
Search Party is led and produced by Sam Ellis, a journalist, director, editor, and animator based in New York City. For more than 6 years, Ellis produced the hugely popular video series, Vox Atlas, for which he earned an Emmy nomination. He specializes in breaking down the most complex new stories and presenting them with a refreshing, accessible, and engaging visual style.
He’s produced explainers on some of the world’s thorniest geopolitical stories; from corruption scandals in Latin America, conflict in the Middle East, and the rise of China, to the world of sports; the Monaco Grand Prix, the FIFA corruption scandal, and the 100-foot waves of Nazaré, Portugal. Ellis has also directed multiple episodes of TV; notably on Netflix’s ‘Explained’ and HBO Sport’s ‘Level Playing Field’.
Got story ideas or tips? Reach out to the team at:
Twitter: twitter.com/swellis_
Email: sam.ellis@newpress.com
