A Liberia-flagged oil tanker bound for India has successfully navigated the conflict-hit Strait of Hormuz after briefly going 'dark' to avoid detection.
The Shenlong Suezmax oil tanker, carrying Saudi crude and captained by an Indian, berthed at the Mumbai Port on Wednesday evening after crossing the volatile waterway.
Maritime tracking data showed its last signal inside the Strait of Hormuz on March 8 before it disappeared from monitoring systems, suggesting the crew had switched off the vessel’s automatic identification system (AIS) while navigating the dangerous stretch.
The ship reappeared on tracking databases the next day after clearing the strait and reached Mumbai at about 1 pm on Wednesday, according to port officials.
The tanker, owned by Shenlong Shipping Ltd and managed by Athens-based Dynacom Tanker Management Ltd, has a crew of 29, including Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos, and is commanded by Captain Sukshant Singh Sandhu.
Officials said unloading the cargo is expected to take about 36 hours.
Going 'dark' in maritime terms refers to a vessel switching off its Automatic Identification System (AIS), which normally broadcasts the ship’s identity, location, course and speed to other ships and monitoring authorities.
Ships typically do this only in exceptional situations because international maritime rules require AIS to remain active for safety and tracking.
