UAE Uses Covert Shuttle Tankers to Maintain Crude Exports Through Strait of Hormuz
During the recent conflict that severely disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates maintained its crude oil exports by deploying a covert network of shuttle tankers. According to a Bloomberg investigation, Abu Dhabi bypassed the heavily contested chokepoint by offloading cargo from large supertankers onto smaller vessels anchored in the Gulf of Oman. This shuttle method allowed the crude to clear the war zone without requiring the supertankers to transit the strait directly, using tactics like disabling transponders and operating under cover of darkness.
The operation relied on the shipping infrastructure of Korean tycoon Ga-Hyun Chung and his Sinokor Group, which began leasing vessels to Abu Dhabi’s state-owned ADNOC in April. By the time the United States and Iran signed an interim peace deal, UAE officials had leveraged the shuttle network to push crude flows back toward pre-war levels. The covert logistics strategy successfully masked the transit of Emirates crude even as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps actively diverted commercial vessels and traffic along the UAE-backed Omani corridor fell to a trickle.
From the sources (25 posts)
@thestudyofwarNEW: Iran continues to insist on imposing an illegal toll scheme in the Strait of Hormuz despite Omani opposition to mandatory fees. The US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU) requires Iran to engage with Oman to determine the “future ad
@menchosint⭕️⚡️Update (Strait of Hormuz): Several ships are suddenly diverting from the US-controlled Omani route to the Iran-designated corridor, or making a u-turn. What did happen 🤔 warning via Radio ? Warning strikes ?
@iranintl_enIranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned on Saturday against any foreign military presence in the Strait of Hormuz after Britain and France said they stood ready to support freedom of navigation in the strategic waterway. "
@staunovoRT @HFI_Research: Strait of Hormuz over the last 24 hours. US escorts continue in the Oman lane, but the pace of the inbound tankers (crud…
@menchosint⭕️ Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, in response to Macron's move: "The Strait of Hormuz is not a theater for the military display of extra-regional powers... The crisis-makers will be held accountable for the consequences of their adventuri
@hfi_researchRT @MenchOsint: ⭕️⚡️Update (Strait of Hormuz): Several ships are suddenly diverting from the US-controlled Omani route to the Iran-designa…
@menchosintRT @DropSiteNews: 🇬🇧🇫🇷 The UK and France declared the Strait of Hormuz “a vital artery for the global economy” in a joint statement from Ke…
@ajenewsUPDATE: Iranian official warns against presence of 'extra regional powers' in Hormuz 🔴 LIVE updates:
@menchosintA Japan-owned Bulk Carrier is transiting via the US-backed Omani waters corridor, while most switched to Iran-designated corridor. Sources indicate there was IRGC activity in the strait this morning.
@staunovoIran repeats warning to UK and France against military deployment in Strait of Hormuz
@menchosint⭕️ Confirmed: IRGC Navy issued VHF radio warning to ships using the US-backed corridor in the strait of Hormuz. It is also confirmed that IRGC Patrol boats were operating in the strait this morning.
@menchosint
@menchosint⭕️ Update: This Japanese Bulk Carrier aborted its transit and joined the other vessels in complying with IRGC Navy orders. Very interesting Sunday in the Strait of Hormuz 🍿 (see my last 5-6 posts for all context)
@hfi_researchRT @_MartinKelly_: TAURUS LEADER (NYK 3rd party Op) CHEMROAD ROSE turned around, ORIENTAL MARGUERITE & LONG WIND swapped from Omani TTW to…
@hfi_researchRT @MenchOsint: ⭕️ Confirmed: IRGC Navy issued VHF radio warning to ships using the US-backed corridor in the strait of Hormuz. It is also…
@hfi_researchLooks like Oman route enforcement by IRGC now.
@jackprandelliA Qatari LNG tanker just went dark near the Strait of Hormuz. That's the signal to watch. What's known: 🔸 First visible LNG passage toward Hormuz from Qatar in about a week 🔸 The vessel loaded at Ras Laffan earlier this week, was tracke
@hormuzletterBREAKING: Multiple vessels are now diverting from the US-backed Omani corridor in the Strait of Hormuz to Iran's approved route after Iran's IRGC issued VHF radio warnings to all ships and deployed numerous patrol boats with special forces
@philippilkRT @MenchOsint: ⭕️ Confirmed: IRGC Navy issued VHF radio warning to ships using the US-backed corridor in the strait of Hormuz. It is also…
@bricsinfoJUST IN: 🇬🇧🇫🇷 UK and France say they are ready to deploy military to "support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."
@businessMiddle East oil producers are desperate to sell crude stockpiled during the Persian Gulf conflict, but shipping worries are constraining gasoline and diesel inventories, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said on Saturday.
@firstsquawkMiddle East oil producers are desperate to sell crude stockpiled during the Persian Gulf conflict, but shipping worries are constraining gasoline and diesel inventories, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said on Saturday.
@steve_hankeLast year, 64 tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz on July 2. This year, ONLY 8 tankers crossed on July 2. FORGET TRUMP'S HYPE ABOUT THE STRAIT BEING OPEN.
@menchosintThe US-backed Omani corridor is empty. Only small Indian Dhow are using it, as they always did.
@menchosintWow ... In just few hours the IRGC has totally closed the US-backed shipping corridor. Not a single merchant vessel is using Omani waters to transit the strait.