Ships linked to Iran use 'spoofing' tactics in Hormuz amid US blockade - NYT
Ships linked to Iran are increasingly using “spoofing” and other deceptive tracking tactics in and around the Strait of Hormuz following the start of a US naval blockade, the New York Times reported, citing maritime experts.
The activity includes vessels going “dark” by switching off transponders or transmitting false identification data to avoid detection, the report said.
“Now, we are starting to see vessels going dark or using ‘zombie’ or random identification,” Ami Daniel, chief executive of maritime intelligence firm Windward, told the newspaper.
The shift suggests operators are becoming more cautious and testing enforcement limits as the blockade disrupts normal shipping patterns, according to the report.
Such tactics, previously used by Russia-linked vessels to evade sanctions, could make it harder to track ship movements and add to uncertainty in the waterway, it said.
