Middle East Oil Tankers Are Going Dark for Longer
Not only is a growing number of tankers moving stealthily with transponders switched off at the Middle East’s two key chokepoints, but the time of the so-called dark mode movements has extended from just a few hours to a week and even more, as shipping risks in the region have increased. Oil tankers have been increasingly using the dark mode to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, switching off…
As oil shipments in the Middle East face heightened risks, an increasing number of tankers are employing a tactic known as "dark mode" to avoid detection. This involves switching off their transponders and positioning signals while traversing crucial chokepoints in the region. Traditionally limited to a few hours at a time, this clandestine mode of operation has now extended to weeks, with some tankers even going dark for several consecutive days as they pass through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Houthi militant group, aligned with Iran, has specifically targeted Saudi-linked vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, including oil exports from the Saudi port of Yanbu. Additionally, it has been observed that some tankers are leaving their AIS positioning active for longer periods, sometimes up to a week, further complicating efforts to track oil flows from the Middle East.
This practice raises concerns about transparency in market estimates regarding oil exports, as it becomes more challenging to ascertain the actual volume of oil leaving the region.
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