Gulf crude flows have held up through tanker shuttles operating with tracking transponders switched off and transfers between ships, maritime security analyst Martin Kelly reported. Most tankers hit in the earlier attacks were sailing with their transponders off.
Shipping intelligence service Marisks identified three tankers struck on Sept. 29 as Al Ruwais, Mersin Prosperity and Sinbad. Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said they were owned or chartered by the United Arab Emirates and appeared on its noncompliance list. Kelly identified the tanker hit on Oct. 1 as Kuwait’s Kazimah III; UKMTO reported a fire aboard that vessel and said its crew was safe.