Commercial vessels are transiting the Strait of Hormuz with their automatic identification system (AIS) transponders switched off, effectively moving in stealth mode to avoid detection by Iranian missile systems.
This development emerges as visible shipping traffic through the waterway has nearly ground to a halt following an escalation in hostilities between the United States and Iran.
The shift to dark transits indicates that while the corridor remains technically open for determined operators, the risk premium for navigating the zone has spiked.
Shipping companies are prioritizing vessel safety over standard tracking protocols, a move that complicates real-time monitoring of global energy flows and freight movements.
The absence of AIS signals makes it difficult for insurers, port authorities, and market participants to verify vessel positions or assess potential disruptions.
This tactical adjustment by shipping operators follows Tehran's renewed declaration that it had closed the strategic waterway, a claim that has already led to a marked decline in the volume of commercial vessels passing through.