Key facts
- A dozen ships have been observed switching oil cargoes outside the Strait of Hormuz.
- The U.S. reported 8.5 million barrels of oil transited the strait on Sunday.
- President Donald Trump claimed a "secret mission" escorted tankers at night with transmitters off.
- The U.S. military has reportedly conducted "overwatch operations" for "shadow transits" with AIS transmitters off.
- Tankers transfer cargoes to other vessels in the Gulf of Oman before returning for more oil.
A dozen ships have been observed switching oil cargoes outside the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint for global energy supplies. This activity comes as the U.S. reports an increase in oil transits through the waterway, amid ongoing efforts to circumvent Iranian influence.
President Donald Trump claimed the U.S. has been conducting a "secret mission" to escort tankers out of the strait at night with their transmitters turned off, a claim he stated on Truth Social involved 200 vessels transporting over 100 million barrels of oil. However, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated he was unaware of a large-scale mission, though he confirmed the U.S. military had assisted in getting some oil out of the strait.
Maritime intelligence providers like Lloyd's List have reported that the U.S. military is conducting "overwatch operations" using autonomous vehicles, aircraft, and drones to escort "shadow transits" through the southern part of the strait. These vessels switch off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmitters to avoid detection. Once clear of the strait, they transfer their cargoes to other waiting tankers in the Gulf of Oman before returning to pick up more oil. This operation is reportedly happening in the dark.
While the number of tankers transiting is not at pre-crisis levels, evidence suggests more are returning to the global market. Analysts at Lloyd's List recorded 36 transits between June 1 and June 7, with 17 identified as "dark" and 19 as traceable. However, they caution that the exact number of "dark" transits is difficult to ascertain due to delays in tracking.