This maneuver mirrors a broader trend among Middle Eastern producers, including the UAE and Iraq, who increasingly rely on dark-mode transit to move oil, LNG, and LPG. By switching off AIS transponders, these vessels avoid public visibility, effectively masking the volume of energy reaching global markets. Since February 28, conventional tanker traffic through this critical chokepoint has plummeted by 90% to 95%, removing approximately 13 million barrels per day from transparent reporting channels.

Energy flow-tracking firms report that while some supplies continue to move, they do so under conditions that shield them from scrutiny. Once a niche strategy used by Iran-linked vessels to circumvent sanctions, operating with disabled transponders has become the standard for the majority of commercial traffic in the region. This shift complicates efforts to monitor energy flows, leaving the global market with an increasingly fractured view of how much fuel actually clears the Strait.