A very large crude carrier (VLCC) hauling approximately 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude slipped through the Strait of Hormuz with its Automatic Identification System transponder disabled—the first observed movement of Baghdad oil through the vital waterway since commercial shipping all but halted.
The vessel's evasive maneuver highlights the emerging pattern of shadow shipping tactics as traders navigate the blockade. While Iran permits select Indian LNG carriers to transit close to its coast under coordinated routing, crude exports require deeper concealment.
Iraq's Basra Oil Company has seen production plummet to 900,000 barrels per day from 3.3 million as the nation declared force majeure across foreign-operated fields. Yet this VLCC's passage suggests clandestine pathways are being tested, with transponder data gaps indicating either deliberate shutdowns or selective signaling protocols with Iranian authorities.
TankerMap tracking shows Iraqi crude movements are critical to understanding post-blockade market dynamics. As of now, 3,201 crude carriers remain in the global fleet.