A crude oil tanker traveling to India successfully navigated the conflict-affected Strait of Hormuz after temporarily disabling its tracking systems to avoid detection, marking the first India-bound vessel to do so safely since fighting began late last month.
Strait of Hormuz Navigation Amidst Conflict
The Liberia-flagged Shenlong Suezmax oil tanker, carrying Saudi crude and captained by an Indian national, docked at the Mumbai Port on Wednesday evening after traversing the volatile waterway, where maritime traffic has significantly decreased due to attacks and military operations.
The tanker loaded crude at Ras Tanura Port in Saudi Arabia on March 1 and departed two days later. Maritime data indicated its last signal within the Strait of Hormuz on March 8, after which it disappeared from monitoring systems – a tactic suggesting the crew deactivated the vessel’s automatic identification system (AIS) while navigating the dangerous area.
The ship reappeared on tracking databases the following day after exiting the strait and arrived at Mumbai around 1 pm on Wednesday, according to port officials.
“The ship Shenlong is carrying 1,35,335 metric tonnes of crude oil. She is berthed at Jawahar Dweep Terminal and has started discharging the cargo,” stated Praveen Singh, deputy conservator of Mumbai Port Authority. The crude will be processed at refineries in Mahul, eastern Mumbai.
The vessel is owned by Shenlong Shipping Ltd and managed by Athens-based Dynacom Tanker Management Ltd. Its crew of 29 includes Indian, Pakistani, and Filipino nationals, and is led by Captain Sukshant Singh Sandhu. Unloading the cargo is anticipated to take approximately 36 hours.
How Ships ‘Go Dark’
“Going dark” in maritime terms refers to a vessel switching off its Automatic Identification System (AIS), which normally broadcasts the ship’s identity, location, course, and speed to other vessels and monitoring authorities.
Ships typically only employ this tactic in exceptional circumstances, as international maritime regulations require AIS to remain active for safety and tracking purposes.
However, in conflict zones like the Strait of Hormuz during wartime, vessels are permitted to temporarily disable their transponders to minimize the risk of being tracked or targeted.
This tactic helps ships reduce the risk of being targeted amid widespread reports of signal jamming, spoofing, and missile attacks in the region.
Attacks and Stranded Ships
A Thai bulk carrier, Mayuree Naree, was struck by projectiles while transiting the strait shortly after departing the United Arab Emirates. The ship, en route to Kandla Port in India, caught fire, and three crew members remain missing, while 20 others were rescued by the Royal Thai Navy and Omani authorities.
Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz – the narrow channel between Iran and Oman that handles over 20 million barrels of oil daily – has slowed considerably as ships queue outside the region or divert their routes.
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