Search Party
@searchparty·949K subscribers·154 videos
The shady ships getting through the Strait
Posted
April 21, 2026
Views
504,676
Likes
14,339
Comments
1,158
Engagement
3.07%
April 21, 2026
504,676
14,339
1,158
3.07%
Every word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
13:20Now PlayingAnd why the West can’t stop it
Check out 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 communitydriven hub for creator journalism
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
Become a Search Party Original member today
Johnny Harris
Christophe Haubursin’s Tunnel Vision
Max Fisher's The Bigger Picture
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:
Email: sam.ellis@newpress.com
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.
