Movement of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday nearly came to a standstill, according to data and sources, amid rising risks to shipping following the resumption of U.S. airstrikes on Iran, which prompted retaliatory actions by Tehran in the Persian Gulf.
Only two tankers passed through the strait on Thursday morning. Among them was the oil supertanker Berg 1, which loaded at the Iranian island of Kharg and is subject to U.S. sanctions, according to an analysis by Kpler.
Tankers Increasingly Turning Off AIS
A chemical tanker, Well Sail, registered under the Marshall Islands, also transited the strait, as indicated by Kpler analysis. Its previous loading point was near Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, according to vessel tracking data from LSEG.
Sources in the shipping industry reported that vessels are increasingly disabling their public tracking transponders, known as AIS (Automatic Identification System). This complicates efforts to obtain a comprehensive view of ship movements through the strait.
“The movement of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz has essentially stopped, which reflects the current perception of risks more than any statements from Washington or Tehran,” wrote Jorge Leon, head of the geopolitical analysis department at Rystad Energy, in his report.
Source: The Straits Times
