Two supertankers and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker recently departed the Strait of Hormuz after switching off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders. Shipping data from LSEG and Kpler indicates these vessels are bound for India and China. This incident follows a pattern observed throughout the month, where multiple tankers have left the Gulf region with their tracking systems disengaged.
This practice of disabling AIS transponders raises concerns regarding maritime transparency and security, particularly in a geopolitically sensitive area like the Strait of Hormuz. While not illegal in all circumstances, it often signals an intent to obscure a vessel's movements, cargo, or origin/destination.
For freight forwarders and operations managers, such incidents introduce heightened risk and uncertainty. Vessels operating without AIS make it impossible to track their real-time location, impacting estimated times of arrival (ETAs) and supply chain visibility. This can lead to potential delays, increased insurance premiums for war risk, and challenges in compliance and due diligence, especially for sensitive cargoes like oil and LNG. Shippers may face difficulties in verifying the integrity of their supply chains and ensuring timely delivery, potentially necessitating alternative routing or increased scrutiny of carrier practices.
There is no indication in the source article about what might happen next, but the ongoing trend suggests a continued challenge for maritime transparency in the region.
