In the latest STR episode CFS Research Fellow Gonzalo Saiz is joined by @michellewb.bsky.social, and Claire Grunewald to examine how Russia’s shadow fleet emerged and what governments can do to disrupt its operations.
Listen to the podcast: https://bit.ly/3PPUPFl
this EU-flagged VLCC turned off its AIS and transited through the Strait of Hormuz bound for Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia
Some brief observations from the @windward-ai.bsky.social
platform of the chaos in the Middle East and impact on maritime traffic. This Chinese-owned VLCC loaded and sailed through past 12 hours no problems
windward.ai/blog/cameroo...
the game of flag governance whack-a-mole continues, although the dark fleet appears to be running out of flags, and fraudulent flags are no longer an option. haven't seen a falsely flagged tanker transit for at least a week I think. link to blog below:
tell-tale circles turning up everywhere -- I'm literally watching this happen in real time
Widespread AIS interference and GPS jamming apparent throughout the Middle East Gulf. this is a typical pattern for one impacted vessel
All but 2 LNG carriers sailing to load at Qatar or the UAE turned around in the Gulf of Oman.
Windward is tracking extensive & immediate disruption to LNG carriers, with at least 8 abruptly changing course before transiting the Strait of Hormuz within a four-hour window on February 28.
this EU-operated bulk carrier signalled Sharjah after leaving Khor Fakken to sail through Hormuz but then turned around after apparently losing AIS signal for five hours
while significant disruption is seen for tankers exporting energy commodities, especially those with Western affiliation, traffic is still sailing through Hormuz. but you can see from where I've indicated in red boxes, the widespread GPS jamming which places ships on land & 'crop circles'
