AIS Spoofing Used to Conceal Oil Shipments to Venezuela

Summary:

In May 2025, two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), the Norns and the Crystal, have reportedly used AIS spoofing to hide their true locations and activities while transporting combined cargoes of Russian and Chinese oil to Venezuela. Satellite imagery confirmed that both vessels docked at the oil port of Jose, despite their AIS signals indicating they were elsewhere. Norns was off Brazil signaling for Angra dos Reis, and Crystal spoofing a loading operation near an FPSO off Guyana. This deliberate AIS manipulation misled trackers and authorities about their actual routes and destinations.

Reference URL

https://www.smry.ai/proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tradewindsnews.com%2Ftankers%2Fvlccs-deliver-unprecedented-russian-and-chinese-cargoes-to-venezuela-after-spoofing-ais%2F2-1-1817381