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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Chokepoint Watch: GPS Jamming Impacts Tankers Across Strait Of Hormuz
2025-06-16
[ZeroHedge] Despite Israel and Iran volleying missiles and bombs at one another over the weekend, Brent crude futures showed a surprisingly muted reaction Monday morning, initially gapping higher Sunday evening but flat to down.

Goldman Sachs analyst Ananya Prakash added color about the market's restrained response, telling clients the "situation feels relatively contained" for now, with attention centered on potential supply disruptions—particularly the extreme scenario of Iran moving to close the Strait of Hormuz.

Bloomberg reports a surge in GPS jamming around the Strait of Hormuz, scrambling navigation for more than 900 vessels and hinting at a new form of disruption for the world's most critical maritime chokepoint.

Here's more from the report:

Starboard Maritime Intelligence and Bloomberg data showed vessels sailing impossibly straight lines in the region, zig- zagging across the water, or appearing onshore. The glitches — which have affected oil tankers, cargo ships, tugs and fishing boats among others since Friday — increase reliance on radars, compasses and eyesight, boosting the likelihood of collisions.

The Joint Maritime Information Center, an international naval task force monitoring the area, warned on Sunday that there are instances of "extreme jamming" of signals from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.

GPSJam—a site that publishes daily heat maps of GPS/GNSS disruptions affecting aircraft—shows multiple "high-interference" zones clustered around the Strait of Hormuz.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Monday it had received multiple reports of increasing GPS interference in maritime chokepoint:

UKMTO has received multiple reports and monitoring of AIS confirms, that there is increasing electronic interference within the waters of the Gulf and Straits of Hormuz. Whilst the level of electronic interference continues to rise across the wider region, the levels and intensity inside the Gulf are having a significant impact on vessels positional reporting through automated systems (AIS).

Despite reports of "high" GPS jamming across parts of the maritime chokepoint, there are currently no signs of an imminent Iranian blockade. However, any move to choke off the strait, which handles roughly a quarter of global oil trade, would likely send Brent crude futures soaring into triple-digit territory.

However, a separate Bloomberg report found some oil tanker operators and managers have paused offering their vessels for Middle East routes since Friday to let the dust settle.

JPMorgan commodity analyst Natasha Kaneva issued a warning over the weekend, stating that the odds increased of a "worst-case scenario" —defined as "the oil price reaction turning exponential rather than linear, with the impact on supply potentially extending beyond a 2.1 mb/d reduction in Iranian oil exports"—could push prices as high as $120–$130 per barrel.
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Posted by:Skidmark

#5   closing the Strait of Hormuz would be a major problem

Indeed. But also a major mistake, IMHO, because it would provide an actual reason for other players like the US and the Saudis to get in the game.

We tend to think of the "Middle East Conflict" as being Muslims vs Juice, but the big one is Sunni vs Shia. Shia Iran has a number of Sunni neighbors that would not mind seeing them taken down a notch.
Posted by: SteveS   2025-06-16 13:22  

#4  
CHECKOUT VESSEL TRACKER Port of Dayyer is located in Iran at 27.8287N, 51.8919E.
7 vessels have arrived within the past 24 hours and no ships are expected to arrive in the next 30 days.
Posted by: NN2N1   2025-06-16 12:55  

#3  closing the Strait of Hormuz would be a major problem

however one of the worst producers hurt by such a move would be Iran

China, India and Japan would be consumers who would be especially hurt.

Posted by: Lord Garth   2025-06-16 11:34  

#2  Not showing up at gpswise.aero
Of course, they're aircraft based, but still...
Posted by: ed in texas   2025-06-16 10:51  

#1  Could Iran Carry Out Its Threat To Shut Down The Strait Of Hormuz?
Posted by: Skidmark   2025-06-16 10:35  

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