Tanker operating without identification transponders hit near Hormuz Strait

A tanker transiting near the Strait of Hormuz sustained damage to its engine room after being struck by projectiles on September 13, according to photographic evidence from the vessel. The ship was operating without transmitting its location through standard maritime identification systems at the time of the attack, a practice sometimes referred to as 'dark mode' in shipping circles.

The vessel carried 25 crew members, comprising 14 Indian and 11 Pakistani nationals, during the incident in one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints. The projectile impact caused significant damage to the engine compartment, though reports indicate the crew remained safe.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-third of globally traded seaborne oil passes, has seen heightened tensions and repeated maritime incidents in recent years. Ships operating in the region have increasingly disabled their automatic identification system (AIS) transmitters to avoid detection, a practice that complicates vessel tracking and raises safety concerns for maritime traffic.

The incident underscores ongoing security challenges facing commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf region and the risks faced by multinational crews working aboard vessels in disputed or volatile waters.