Non-Iranian Gulf traders increasingly rely on dark transits
- In May, 67% of vessels not involved in Iranian trade passing through the strait turned their AIS off
- Security concerns drive the blackout as ships aim to make it harder for Iran to identify, target or attack them
- Experts expect the practice to continue with AIS dark transits likely to remain the norm, while threat levels stay elevated
The number of non‑Iran‑linked vessels going dark while transiting the Strait of Hormuz surged in April and stayed elevated through May, with experts saying a shadow fleet tactic is now being adopted by the mainstream fleet as behaviour across the region converges
