Emirati Tankers Navigate Hormuz With Tracking Systems Disabled

At least four tankers carrying Emirati crude have traversed the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks with their tracking systems turned off, according to shipping data and oil industry sources. The shipments represent a fraction of the UAE's pre-war export volumes but illustrate the risks producers and buyers are taking to sustain oil sales amid the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

Data from ship-tracking firms Kepler and Synmax, along with three informed sources, show that Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) exported no less than four million barrels of Upper Zakum crude and two million barrels of Das crude during April. The cargoes moved on four tankers that departed from ports inside the Gulf.

Diversion and Delivery Methods

The crude was offloaded through several methods, including ship-to-ship transfers before being redirected to refineries in Southeast Asia, storage in Oman, or direct shipment to South Korea, according to the tracking data and sources familiar with the operations. ADNOC's data indicates the company has cut exports by more than one million barrels per day since the war began, compared to last year's levels of roughly 3.1 million barrels per day.

Most of ADNOC's production comes from Murban crude, which is transported via pipeline from onshore fields to the port of Fujairah. Other Gulf states have taken different approaches: Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar have reduced their exports or lowered prices to attract buyers, while Saudi Arabia has relied more heavily on Red Sea shipping routes.