6 million barrels in plain sight: Saudi mega tankers break months of silence after mystery ‘dark ship’ runs through Hormuz

Three Saudi-flagged very large crude carriers (VLCCs), previously “dark” for more than two months, have reappeared on automatic identification system (AIS) tracking, signaling a cautious return of vessel visibility in the Strait of Hormuz.

Data from MarineTraffic shows the tankers Jaham, Shaden, and Awtad resumed AIS transmissions on Thursday (June 18, 2026) after extended periods of signal "silence" as they transited routes linked to the Strait of Hormuz.

The reappearance comes at a moment of heightened scrutiny over tanker movements in the Gulf, where vessel tracking behaviour is often closely watched for signs of geopolitical risk management, sanctions avoidance concerns, or security-related operational caution.

Routing data

According to routing data, Shaden is currently bound for Kiire, Japan, while Awtad is heading toward Ulsan, South Korea—two major refining hubs in Asia.

The destination of Jaham was not immediately known.

Commodity analytics firm Kpler estimates the three VLCCs are collectively carrying around 6 million barrels of crude oil, underscoring the scale of supply currently in transit.

The sudden restoration of AIS signals is being interpreted by market observers as a cautious normalisation step, potentially reducing uncertainty over Gulf shipping lanes that remain central to global energy flows.

The re-emergence of VLCCs on AIS tracking after more than two months of operating “dark” is seen as a tentative return to greater visibility in Hormuz Strait, one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints, signaling cautious transparency shift in global oil flows.