Israel och USA attackerar Iran 2026-02-28

A lot of people hear “tanker security program” and picture Navy convoys. In reality, the Tanker Security Program (TSP) is more like an insurance policy the U.S. keeps in place before a crisis happens. It’s run through MARAD and the idea is simple: the government provides a stipend to keep a small fleet of U.S.-flag product tankers trading internationally in normal times, and in exchange those ships are contractually available to support U.S. national security needs when called upon. It’s not about militarizing commercial shipping day-to-day, it’s about making sure the U.S. isn’t scrambling for reliable tanker capacity when things get tense.

Why bring this up now? Because recent events around the Strait of Hormuz are a reminder that “security” isn’t theoretical. When a U.S.-flag tanker gets approached, escorted, or operates under heightened risk conditions, it highlights what TSP is really buying: flagged capacity, trained crews, and predictable access when the market is stressed. And the Stena Imperative is a good real-world example of the kind of tanker this program is built around, a commercial ship that’s still expected to be operationally ready and compatible with military logistics requirements (often coordinated with Military Sealift Command).

The American-flagged bulk oil tanker, M/T STENA IMPERATIVE, 1 of 10 tankers that are part of the U.S. Navy’s Tanker Security Program (TSP), tasked with guaranteeing the military access to fuel delivery in global conflict zones and national emergencies, was struck this morning by several projectiles launched by Iran while pierside at the Port of Bahrain. The attack resulted in several fired onboard which have since been extinguished, though the extent of damage to the vessel is still unknown.