Ships go dark in Hormuz as attacks hobble US-guided route
What's new: All six commodity carriers tracked on July 12 crossed with transponders off, while some shippers are refusing escorted passages.
A growing share of ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz are switching off their transponders as Iranian attacks push shipping companies away from a U.S.-guided route along Oman’s coast. Kpler data reviewed by Bloomberg showed all six commodity carriers that transited on July 12 made the passage dark, and observable crossings on the southern corridor have stopped since July 8. Reuters reported some shipowners are now refusing the U.S. military-backed transit scheme after five vessels were attacked in Omani waters since July 7. The disruption is complicating Gulf oil and gas exports even as more than 100 vessels coordinated with the U.S. military in the past week.