148 of 236 Hormuz Ships Go Dark as Vessels Largely Shun US-Backed Omani Route
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 20
148 of 236 Hormuz Ships Go Dark as Vessels Largely Shun US-Backed Omani Route
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 20
Summary
Kpler data shows 148 of 236 ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz from Aug. 1-19 used dark or unknown routes, while 83 openly took Iran’s route and only three used the US-backed Omani corridor.
Among energy carriers, 89 of 112 crude, LPG and LNG vessels went dark, 21 openly used the Iranian route and just two formally used the Omani route, making route control hard to verify.
Operators are switching off AIS transponders after both Iran and the US struck ships they said violated navigation rules; ADNOC said 15 of its vessels have been attacked since the war began.
The pattern suggests ships fear offending Tehran more than Washington: about one-fifth of energy vessels openly defied the US blockade by using Iran’s route, while almost none publicly defied Iran.
Hormuz still carries a critical share of global oil and LNG, but traffic has fallen sharply from roughly 130 ships a day before the war to 236 total over 19 August days, with Brent at $92.9.