Tanker defying US blockade appears to have turned around after leaving Strait of Hormuz - Media
Kyiv • UNN
The vessel, sanctioned by the US for aiding Iran, changed course after crossing the strait. Experts note attempts by the tanker to spoof satellite tracking signals.
The US-sanctioned, China-linked tanker Rich Starry, which was seen as one of the first vessels to test US President Donald Trump's naval blockade, appears to have turned around after exiting the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reports, writes UNN.
Details
The Rich Starry tanker was blacklisted by Washington in 2023 for helping Tehran circumvent energy sanctions. Its signal previously indicated that it had crossed the Strait of Hormuz, but then, around 1:00 PM London time, it began to turn around, the publication writes.
Shipowners, energy traders, and financial market investors are closely monitoring its route through the Strait of Hormuz, trying to understand the latest US attempts to pressure Tehran and limit its oil revenues – and how this will work in practice.
Despite increased attention to visible transits through the Strait of Hormuz, accurate tracking of these events is difficult due to a combination of interference and signal spoofing. According to TankerTrackers.com Inc., which tracks vessels using satellite data, Rich Starry has a history of spoofing satellite signals, the publication notes.