SINGAPORE: Rogue tankers carrying sanctioned oil and other restricted goods are a growing presence in waters off Singapore, raising safety concerns in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have pushed more of these vessels into the region, according to observers.

Fresh data from maritime intelligence firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence showed at least 27 of these so-called “shadow fleet” vessels transiting the Singapore Strait as of Thursday (Dec 4), with another 130 in the nearby Riau Archipelago.

These ships transport sanctioned cargo, often using stolen identities and other tactics to hide their activities and evade scrutiny.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it is monitoring vessel movements and ship-to-ship transfers in its waters.

STRATEGICALLY VITAL WATERWAY

The Singapore Strait is a vital artery for global maritime trade. More than 80,000 vessels pass through it each year, carrying about one-third of the world’s traded goods.

While little may seem unusual on the surface, shipspotters like Remy Osman have noticed a rising number of these dark fleet vessels.

“When I started the hobby, there were almost none that I saw. But then, particularly in the past year or two, I see them almost every single day,” he said.

“That's because, since the Ukraine war started, and then (with) everything that's happening with Iran and the Middle East, there are many more ships which have been sanctioned for taking oil from these countries and exporting them.”

Mr Remy told CNA that such ships typically change their flags frequently, falsify their registration details and sometimes switch off their tracking systems to keep sanctioned cargo flowing.

Shadow fleet tankers pass Singapore almost daily, typically heading to international waters in the South China Sea, east of Malaysia.

There, they conduct risky ship-to-ship transfers of oil and other goods – often at night and with minimal oversight.

To avoid detection, many spoof their locations to appear off Singapore while operating far away.

They also hide behind flags of convenience, turning to registries with looser oversight, making enforcement harder and insurance arrangements even murkier.

“They're now being registered in landlocked countries or tiny countries that have no capacity whatsoever to...