The shadowy world of maritime logistics has been thrust into the spotlight as the US claims to have conducted a clandestine operation in the Strait of Hormuz, facilitating the passage of oil tankers through a chokepoint controlled by Iran. At night, with their transmitters deliberately switched off, dozens of vessels have reportedly evaded the Iranian blockade and made their way out of the Gulf.
According to Lloyd's List, a leading provider of maritime intelligence, US overwatch operations – utilising autonomous vehicles, aircraft, and drones – have been instrumental in escorting these 'shadow transits' through the southern part of the strait. Once clear of the blockade, the tankers transfer their cargoes to other vessels undetected before returning to the Gulf to reload more oil and gas.
Graph Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of Lloyd's List, highlighted the sophistication of this operation: 'Tankers are exiting the Gulf, conducting ship-to-ship transfers to other tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Empty tankers which ran the strait with their AIS off return through the strait and pick up new loads of oil from the UAE, Saudi, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iraq. And this operation is happening under cover of darkness.'
While oil and gas tanker transits are still significantly below pre-crisis levels, there are indications that more vessels are re-entering the global market. Lloyd's List intelligence suggests that approximately 25% of the tankers present in the Gulf at the start of the crisis have successfully left the region since tensions escalated.