Oil tanker, with Indian captain, went ‘dark’ to cross high-risk Strait of Hormuz, reach Mumbai

A crude oil tanker captained by an Indian successfully navigated through the war-hit Strait of Hormuz and reached Mumbai by switching off its tracking system to enter “dark mode” while crossing the high-risk zone amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Iran's warning to target vessels and not allow passage to oil tankers. Maritime tracking data showed the vessel’s signals were last visible on monitoring systems inside the Strait of Hormuz on March 8 before they disappeared.

The Liberia-flagged tanker, Shenlong Suezmax, carrying crude oil loaded from Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura Port, arrived at Mumbai Port on Wednesday. It was carrying 135,335 metric tonnes of crude oil and has begun discharging the crude, which will be transported to refineries. The tanker had loaded crude at Ras Tanura Port in Saudi Arabia on March 1 and sailed two days later.

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Liberian-flagged oil tanker is first vessel to safely transit Hormuz amid war

The Liberian-flagged oil tanker became the first vessel to safely transit the Gulf waterway and arrive in India amid the US-Israeli war against Iran.

According to tanker-tracking platforms, Shenlong Suezmax’s last recorded signal in the Strait of Hormuz appeared on March 8, after which it switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) while passing through the strait. The vessel reappeared on tracking systems a day later before docking in Mumbai on Wednesday.

TankerTrackers.com, a tanker tracking platform, shared that two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), three Suezmax tankers, capable of transiting the Suez Canal fully loaded, and a Panamax tanker designed to meet the maximum dimensions allowed for the original Panama Canal locks went offline from AIS tracking for at least 48 hours. The destinations of these ships were China, India, and Japan.

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AIS automatically transmits info about vessel’s identity, position, and movement

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is used on ships to automatically transmit information about a vessel’s identity, position, and movement to other ships and coastal authorities. It is primarily meant to enhance navigation safety, prevent collisions, and support maritime monitoring. Turning off the system makes the vessel effectively untraceable at sea.

Shipping companies often use this tactic, also known as “going dark”, to avoid the risk of being targeted or tracked by hostile forces. However, the strategy is used only in exceptional circumstances, as international maritime rules require AIS to remain active for safety and tracking.

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At least 16 ships attacked by Iran in past two weeks

The Iranian military effectively closed the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz that handles more than 20 million barrels of crude oil per day after the US and Israel launched a military campaign against Iran.

At least 16 ships have been attacked by Iran over the past two weeks, with Tehran warning of further strikes on vessels operating in the region.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has said that 28 Indian-flagged vessels are currently operating in the Persian Gulf region. Of these vessels, 24 carrying 677 Indian seafarers are located west of the Strait of Hormuz, while four vessels with 101 Indian seafarers are positioned east of the strait.

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A Thai vessel bound for Kandla port in Gujarat was attacked in the strait on Wednesday, drawing strong criticism from New Delhi.

Unrelenting attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure pushed oil above $100 a barrel on Thursday.

India, which is Asia’s third-largest economy, relies heavily on the Strait of Hormuz, as more than half of its crude oil and natural gas imports pass through the narrow maritime corridor.