Key facts
- Oil tankers in the Middle East are switching off their transponders.
- Tankers are disabling transponders for extended periods, sometimes a week or more.
- This practice is driven by heightened regional shipping risks.
- The Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Strait are key areas of concern.
- Going dark complicates tracking of oil flows.
- The practice complicates identification of potential shipping targets.
Oil tankers operating in the Middle East are increasingly engaging in the practice of switching off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders for prolonged durations. These periods of deactivation can extend for a week or even longer. The primary motivation behind this tactic is to evade detection while navigating through strategically vital maritime chokepoints, specifically the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This heightened regional shipping risk is compelling operators to adopt such measures. The consequence of this widespread practice is a significant complication in the ability to accurately track oil flows and identify potential shipping targets within these crucial shipping lanes. The practice obscures the real-time location and status of vessels, creating uncertainty for monitoring agencies and market participants alike.