UAE Slips Tankers Through Strait of Hormuz with ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tactics
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has successfully used “shadow fleet” tactics to transport oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, evading detection by Iranian terrorists. According to a report by Reuters on Thursday, several tankers loaded with oil from the UAE passed safely through the strait, employing techniques similar to those used by Iranian and Russian ships to escape sanctions enforcement.
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) reportedly used classic shadow fleet tactics, including disabling location trackers and performing ship-to-ship oil transfers at sea. This allowed four tankers, carrying at least six million barrels of crude oil, to transit the Strait of Hormuz without being detected. The shipments were either unloaded by ship-to-ship transfer to a vessel that later carried the oil to a Southeast Asian refinery, unloaded into storage in Oman or sailed directly to South Korean refineries.
ADNOC’s Stealthy Shipments Represent Fraction of Normal Output
ADNOC was shipping 3.1 million barrels per day (bpd) before the Iran conflict began, so the stealthy – and risky – shipments represented only a fraction of the company’s normal output. Bloomberg News reported on Thursday that ADNOC slipped two ships filled with liquefied natural gas (LNG) past Iran – and might have been able to move even more, because the UAE is apparently also using the shadow fleet tactic of “spoofing” or broadcasting false location data from its ships.
Empty LNG Carriers Disappear from Computer Tracking Systems
At least three empty ADNOC LNG carriers have disappeared from computer tracking systems by shutting off their transponders as they approached the Strait of Hormuz. Satellite imagery shows ships continuing to dock at the terminal, even as no tankers broadcast positions near the plant.
UAE Condemns Drone Attack on ADNOC Crude Oil Tanker
On Tuesday, the UAE said Iran targeted an ADNOC crude oil tanker Barakah with two drones as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The Emiratis condemned the incident as a “terrorist attack.”
Shadow Fleet Tactics Pose Navigational Hazards
Shadow fleet or “dark fleet” tactics have been developed and refined ever since sanctions were imposed on seaborne oil and cargo. At the end of 2025, industry analysts estimated the shadow fleet included at least 978 oil tankers, which is over 18 percent of the entire global tanker fleet. Some analysts think the true size of the shadow fleet could be closer to 1,600 tankers, plus countless smaller coastal ships that help the deep-sea vessels shuffle their cargo around.
Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization Broadcasts Messages
Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) on Thursday began broadcasting bizarre messages to the hundreds of commercial vessels trapped at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, offering a “range of services including food supplies, fuel, medical and health assistance, and authorized repair items.” The messages, broadcast three times per day, claimed Iran is devoted to “maritime safety” – even as the terrorist Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continues threatening to attack civilian ships that pass through the strait.
Original Article: UAE Slips Tankers Through Strait of Hormuz with ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tactics — Breitbart