Tanker shipping sacrifices safety for security in Strait of Hormuz

The image below shows the route taken by a UK-owned tanker just two days before Stena Impero was seized. Probably aware of the danger, the UK-owned tanker detoured around the TSS to stick to Emirati waters. But was this the right course of action? “TSS is regulated by the rules of the road,” said Master Mariner, Lars H Bergqvist, “and there are rules how a ship shall navigate in them. Just to avoid Iranian waters is not a reason to break the rules. TSS is there for a reason, and if ships are avoiding the scheme the risk of collisions will obviously increase.”

Overall, tanker traffic through the TSS dropped 22% in less than a month, from 60 vessels a day to fewer than 50. At the same time, traffic through UAE waters is intensifying, raising concerns this is coming at the cost of a greater risk of collision.

‘Dark’ passage

Another emerging pattern is an increase in vessels trying to avoid detection by Iran by crossing the Strait of Hormuz with their AIS transmissions switched off. Take the image below: it shows three Saudi-flagged tankers managed by the same company ’going dark’ when approaching Iran – then ’reappearing’ once outside Iranian waters. For these Saudi vessels, this pattern of behaviour actually began in late May, shortly after two Saudi tankers were sabotaged near Fujairah. Yet doing so creates clear concerns about maritime safety, as it also increases the risk of collision. “The Gulf area is congested with large tankers,” said Gard AS vice president Marius Schønberg, “Therefore navigation safety is a major concern. We encourage our members to follow ordinary navigation lanes and keep AIS on but do a proper voyage risk assessment in accordance with the guidance in BMP 5.”

Then there’s sanctions. Ships turning off transmissions in the region today may attract unwanted – and unwarranted – suspicions that they are attempting to conceal sanctions evasion with Iran. This could lead to unnecessary due diligence by counterparties, and even reduce business opportunities – ironically putting innocent vessels in the same boat as those in cahoots with Iran. “If ships are going to switch off AIS,” said Capt Bergqvist, “there must be a guideline from the industry, and preferably an international agreement, so you are not stopped by coastal states if you transit there waters without transmitting AIS signals.”

The need for speed

In some cases, and as advised by OCIMF and Intertanko, tankers are now significantly increasing their speed while crossing the Strait of Hormuz. In the case of the LNG tanker in the image below, after waiting a few days immediately after Stena Impero was seized, the LNG tanker began sailing through the Strait of Hormuz at a speed of 20-22 knots – very close to its top speed, and 30-40% faster than its usual speed for sailing through the strait.

Faster sailing, of course, brings with it a number of safety concerns. As Gard AS vice president Marius Schønberg put it “High-speed navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is a different way of operation than normal, and it is alarming as the consequences in case of an incident at high speeds are much greater.”

Lessons from the Tanker War

During the Tanker Wars of the 1980s, Kuwaiti ships taking Iraqi oil out through the Strait of Hormuz changed their names and began flying the US flag. This allowed US warships to accompany them, to ensure their safety. Tankers travelled in convoys for extra protection.

From this vantage point, things don’t look anywhere near as bad as they were – or would become – back then. But while the risk of military confrontation is much diminished, the tactics employed by the vessels themselves – sailing faster, avoiding shipping lanes or going dark – are reducing maritime safety and increasing the risk of collision. Which begs an important question that shipowners must now wrestle with: is it ever acceptable to compromise on maritime safety in the name of security?

Written by Adina Fenton, pre-sales manager at shipping data provider Windward, you can read the original article here.