Zombie Ships Navigate the Strait of Hormuz: A New Trend in Oil Trade

Recent reports reveal the emergence of 'zombie ships' in the Strait of Hormuz, with the oil tanker Nabiin crossing the vital waterway. This unusual trend, highlighted by the passage of another vessel, Jamal, raises questions about the implications for oil and LNG trade. As these ships adopt the identities of scrapped vessels, their role in sanctioned trades, particularly in regions like Venezuela and Russia, becomes increasingly significant. Discover the details of these maritime anomalies and their impact on global trade.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 23, 2026, 13:31 IST

Zombie Tankers in the Strait of Hormuz

A recent report from Bloomberg highlights the unusual sight of an oil tanker, seemingly already decommissioned, traversing the Strait of Hormuz. This incident marks the second occurrence of a so-called 'zombie ship' navigating this vital oil trade route within just a few days. The vessel, named 'Nabiin', has been present in the Persian Gulf since the onset of the conflict, departing on Sunday and currently located in the Gulf of Oman, as per ship-tracking data.

Interestingly, this follows the passage of another vessel, the Jamal, which was previously recorded at an Indian demolition yard last year, crossing Hormuz just last Friday. Records from Bloomberg indicate that the Aframax tanker, constructed in 2002, was sent to breaking yards in Bangladesh five years ago. Aframax vessels are medium-sized ships designed for short to medium-haul routes, particularly in regions with smaller port facilities.

The ship identified as Nabiin entered the Persian Gulf shortly before the conflict escalated, with Khor Al Zubair in Iraq marked as its destination, according to ship-tracking data. It remained in the Gulf until its exit on Sunday, although its precise movements remain ambiguous due to significant electronic interference affecting ship transmission signals. Upon leaving the Gulf, it was reported to be fully loaded, based on draft readings, yet lacked a clear destination.

According to the report, Nabiin is managed by Muhit Maritime FZE and owned by Sagitta Maritime Co Ltd, both located in Dubai, as listed in the international database Equasis. Attempts to contact these companies were unsuccessful, with calls not connecting and emails bouncing back. The vessel posing as Nabiin is suspected to be a zombie tanker, adopting the identity of a legitimate, scrapped ship. While the concept of zombie ships is not new, particularly in sanctioned oil trades involving countries like Venezuela and Russia, their use in the LNG trade within the Strait of Hormuz is unprecedented, especially given the limited number of LNG vessels.