Vessels in Red Sea claim ties to Russia, China
(MENAFN) Vessels navigating the Red Sea and Persian Gulf have increasingly been sending misleading signals about their national affiliations, falsely claiming ties to Russia and China in an effort to avoid potential attacks, according to reports citing maritime risk analysts and tracking data.
The Strait of Hormuz, controlled by Iran and a critical global oil transit point, has been at the center of escalating tensions. Tehran threatened to close the passage if the United States participated in Israeli strikes targeting Iranian nuclear sites. While Iran’s parliament reportedly approved this measure, the ultimate decision rests with the Supreme National Security Council.
Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have targeted ships in the Red Sea since late 2023, citing solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict. Although a temporary ceasefire was brokered by the U.S. in May to halt these attacks in exchange for a pause in Western airstrikes, the Houthis warned they would resume targeting U.S. vessels if Washington supported Israeli strikes on Iran.
Despite a ceasefire between Israel and Iran earlier this week, shipping companies remain wary of vessel safety in the region. Ami Daniel, CEO of maritime analytics firm Windward, explained that shipowners find it difficult to clearly identify ownership and nationalities of vessels, especially those connected to countries considered high-risk such as the UK, US, and Israel.
Between June 12 and 24, Windward observed 55 ships transmitting a total of 101 unusual identification messages, including labels like “China owned” or “Russian crude,” in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. These deceptive signals appear aimed at lowering the chance of being mistaken for Western or Israel-affiliated ships. For example, a Panama-flagged vessel heading to Pakistan transmitted “PKKHI all Chinese,” while a Singapore-flagged ship sent “Vsl no link Israel.”
Daniel noted that normally vessels use standard messages indicating destinations or neutral phrases like “For Orders,” with some adding “Armed Guards on Board” in risky areas. However, following Israeli strikes on Iran, the use of non-standard and misleading transmissions has sharply increased, spreading from the Red Sea into the Persian Gulf.
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