- Commercial ships in the Gulf are adopting unusual tactics to protect themselves amid rising tensions
- Several vessels have begun declaring links to China in their destination signals, hoping to avoid being targeted in attacks
- This move reflects growing concerns over maritime safety as the Iran war continues to disrupt shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond
Several commercial ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region have begun declaring themselves as China-linked since the Iran war began.
According to marine traffic data analysed by the Associated Press and reported by TRT Africa, at least eight vessels changed their destination signals to short notes such as “CHINA OWNER” or “CHINA OWNER&CREW.”
Source: Getty Images
Purpose of China identification
Ana Subasic, a trade risk analyst at Kpler, explained:
“The main goal of vessels publicly identifying themselves as ‘Chinese’ while transiting the Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz is primarily to reduce the risk of being attacked rather than to facilitate passage through the strait itself.”
Iran and affiliated groups have generally avoided targeting ships linked to China, given Beijing’s neutral stance and strong economic ties with Tehran. Kun Cao, client director at consulting firm Reddal, added: “The message is more like ‘do not mistake me for the kind of ship you said you would hit.’”
Rising concerns over attacks on ships
Iranian attacks on vessels in the Gulf and surrounding waters have raised serious concerns among shippers. As of Thursday, at least 19 commercial ships had been damaged in the conflict. Some of the eight vessels identified by MarineTraffic passed through the strait and continued to their destinations, while others remained in the area.
Flags and ownership in commercial shipping
Most of the vessels declaring China links were not China-flagged. Their flags included Panama and the Marshall Islands. Cao noted that in commercial shipping, “a vessel’s flag often has little to do with the ship owner’s nationality.”
Rico Luman, senior economist at ING, highlighted that while many bulk carriers have strong links with China in terms of ownership, operation and cargo, the actual effectiveness of declaring themselves as China-linked to avoid attacks remains uncertain.
Destination signals explained
Destination signals are short notes entered manually by a ship’s crew into its transponder, which broadcasts location and intended next port. Subasic explained that these signals are usually meant for navigation safety and port planning, but “some vessels occasionally use it to display additional information or signals, such as references to ownership or nationality.”
This tactic is not entirely new. During earlier Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, some vessels also declared links to China in their destination signals, apparently as a way to reduce risks from Iranian-backed Houthis.
Source: Getty Images
Israeli government accuses Iran of heavy bombardment
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused Iran of targeting civilians with cluster munitions. Cluster munitions are weapons that release multiple smaller explosives over a wide area.
Their use has long been controversial because of the high risk they pose to civilians, both during attacks and afterwards, as unexploded bomblets can remain dangerous for years. International organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about their humanitarian impact.