London Maritime Academy is a trade name for London Premier Group
Subscribe to our newsletter
6/21/2025, 10:53:32 PM
A multinational naval force defending maritime trade reported that Israel's airstrikes on Iran have resulted in a greater jamming of the signals of ships operating in the Middle East, the world's largest oil-producing region.
Particularly following Israel's last Friday attacks on military and nuclear targets throughout the Persian Gulf nation, traders, and investors are keeping an eye on Iran's reaction.
Over the last weekend, navigation signals from over 900 ships in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz went awry, causing confusion in the shipping choke point as Iran-Israeli combat grew more intense.
Moreover, data showed that vessels in the region were either sailing impossible straight lines, entering onshore, or zigzagging across the water. The malfunctions, which have been affecting fishing boats, tugboats, cargo ships, and oil tankers since Friday, increase the need for radars, compasses, and vision, increasing the risk of collisions.
Notably, the Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) has warned of “extreme jamming” of signals from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, impacting over 25% of the world's oil trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Closely monitor all electronic aids and communication networks for electronic interference,” it advised businesses. Have backup plans in case the navigational aids malfunction.
UK Maritime Trade Operations also noted increasing interference in the Gulf, altering ship position reporting through automated systems.
Mark Douglas, a maritime domain analyst at Starboard, criticised navigation systems that cannot accurately display location in the Strait, stating that widespread jamming causes uncertainty for those operating in the area.
Besides, Frontline Ltd.'s Front the Tyne crude carrier entered the Hormuz Strait, sailing north towards Bandar Abbas, zigzagging south into the Gulf, hovering onshore, and heading towards Saudi Arabia.
Further, the Elandra Willow, a medium-range tanker owned by Vitol Group, has been displaying erratic movements near Bandar Abbas, while the Pegasus, a Suezmax operated by Pantheon Tankers Management, has been displaying locations on the Iranian mainland.
Although Tehran's attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz choke point, which is where a large portion of the world's oil flows, has received the most attention, the notice serves as a reminder that there could be more widespread disruptions to merchant trade.
Maritime Law courses in the UK cover various threats, such as piracy, terrorism, and geopolitical tensions, as well as the strategies and technologies used to combat them. This entails understanding maritime law, naval strategy, and the vulnerabilities of trade routes and chokepoints.
The past few years have seen an increase in the commercial shipping industry's use of false location signals and jamming of vessels' navigational equipment. A combination of the Houthi attacks on ships and Russia's war in Ukraine has led to anomalous and inaccurate vessel signals.
Remarkably, the Combined Maritime Forces, a 46-nation coalition of navies headed by the United States in Bahrain, includes the JMIC and aims to maintain safe shipping throughout the region.
Tanker owners suspend Persian Gulf shipping, while forward freight agreements for a July Middle East-to-Asia benchmark journey gained 12% on Friday.
Eventually, analysts are concerned about Iran's potential shutdown of Hormuz, given its reliance on oil shipments, particularly to China, and potential US and allies' reactions.
Anoop Singh, global head of shipping research at Oil Brokerage Ltd, suggests disruptions are a likely option, as Hormuz is Iran's ultimate bargaining chip, remaining in the bag unless a worst-case scenario arises.
Read more news:
