Dark Transits Redefine Oil Flow Through the Strait of Hormuz

On the afternoon of July 25, the Greek-owned supertanker Kiku docked at Qatar’s Mesaieed oil export terminal. Four days later, while carrying crude, the vessel entered the Strait of Hormuz. At about 2 p.m. on July 31 off Dubai, the Kiku’s AIS transponder was switched off, making the ship invisible to tracking services. Its signal reappeared at 10 a.m. on August 1 on the opposite side of the strait. After a ship-to-ship transfer off Fujairah, the Kiku remained anchored until around August 14, when it went dark again and resurfaced in the Persian Gulf the following day, heading back toward Qatar.

CNN

The Iran-U.S. conflict that began in February has disrupted roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies for more than six months. To mitigate the loss of conventional shipping routes, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and other regional producers have begun “dark” nighttime transits—U.S.-escorted voyages in which AIS transponders are disabled. The strategy shifts insurance risk and exposure to Iranian drone attacks from commercial shippers to state-backed operations.

CNN

• Kpler data cited by CNN indicates that about 80 % of traffic through the strait over the prior two weeks has been “dark,” with vessels skirting the Omani coast.

Shipping Traffic Through Strait of Hormuz Declines Amid Iran-US Crisis

• Saudi Arabia has rerouted roughly 5 million barrels per day from the Persian Gulf to its Red Sea port of Yanbu via an east-west pipeline, and an additional 2 million barrels per day around the strait.

CNN

• The U.S. Department of Energy reports that oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz averages 8–9 million barrels per day.

Shipping Traffic Through Strait of Hormuz Declines Amid Iran-US Crisis

• Reuters recorded seven commodity ships transiting the strait on August 21, half the number recorded the previous day, and below the ten-day average of 11 vessels. No very large crude carriers or LNG tankers were observed.

Reuters

• Since March 1, Kpler has logged 1,514 dark crossings in and out of the Persian Gulf.

New York Times

• The U.S. Department of Energy states that the current “dark” transits have allowed oil flow to continue despite heightened security risks.

CNN

• President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz remains open and under U.S. oversight.

Shipping Traffic Through Strait of Hormuz Declines Amid Iran-US Crisis

• The United States has drawn down 400 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, reducing emergency stockpiles to their lowest level since the early 1980s.

CNN

Environmental experts warn that reduced vessel transparency raises the likelihood of accidents in the narrow, congested waterway.

New York Times

“When more ships become invisible, situational awareness declines,” — Kaveh Madani, director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health

New York Times

CNN’s estimate that 80 % of traffic is dark contrasts with Reuters’ ship-count showing only a handful of visible vessels on August 21. Because vessels with transponders off do not appear in standard tracking data, the exact volume of oil moved via dark transits remains uncertain. Satellite imagery on August 14 identified two large ships in the strait, yet MarineTraffic data recorded none, highlighting gaps between radar and AIS sources.

CNN

U.S.–Iran peace talks remain in limbo, and both Reuters and CNN note that the continuation of dark transits depends on the persistence of the conflict and the absence of a negotiated settlement. As emergency oil reserves dwindle, regional producers are likely to maintain the covert escort system to sustain global supply.

CNN