Tankers

Satellite imagery has revealed dozens of ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Gulf of Oman. While Iran struggles under a naval blockade, regional states are successfully adapting their supply chains, using the open sea to transit millions of barrels of crude.

Data from maritime monitoring firm Kpler indicates a 50% drop in cargo ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The figures exclude very large crude carriers (VLCC) and LNG tankers. A significant decline in vessel traffic was also recorded in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

More than 80% of vessels have passed through the Omani route under US Navy protection over the last two weeks. Tehran is struggling to collect transit fees, while oil traffic approaches pre-war levels.

Maritime exports of Saudi oil from the Red Sea are becoming increasingly difficult to track as tankers disable their AIS tracking systems due to fears of Houthi attacks. This practice, known as 'dark sailing,' complicates market assessments of energy supply volumes.

One of the tankers initially managed to evade a US attempt to seize it and was captured only after a weeks-long chase in the Atlantic Ocean. Now, Washington has sold both ships, and their final destination will be shipyards in India.