A sharp escalation in GPS jamming across the Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz is disrupting maritime navigation for hundreds of vessels daily, intensifying security and logistical challenges in a region critical to global energy exports.
Recent data from Windward, combined with reporting from Reuters and Bloomberg, points to a marked rise in interference coinciding with the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Between June 15 and 18, nearly 1,000 ships per day experienced signal manipulation, with some vessel tracking systems falsely placing ships in inland locations or showing erratic movements across international waters.
These signal disruptions, affecting AIS navigation systems, have led to delays, course alterations, and growing concern among shipping companies and insurers.
Windward identified three primary interference zones: inside Qatari waters, on international routes linking Iraq and Kuwait to Hormuz, and along the Strait’s key separation lanes. The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) reported a 20% decrease in ship transits through the Strait compared to the previous week. While there are no signs of an outright blockade, authorities warned of “persistently high” electronic interference.
Safety incidents have already occurred. The oil tanker Front Eagle collided with another vessel south of Hormuz after reportedly experiencing prolonged jamming.
Another ship, the Front Tyne, displayed signal paths jumping between locations in Russia, Iran, and the Gulf in a single day. Frontline Ltd., which operates both ships, has suspended accepting charters involving Gulf navigation.
Economic repercussions are also mounting as war risk insurance premiums for tankers have quadrupled, pushing additional insurance costs above $1 million for some voyages. Freight rates on key Gulf-to-Asia routes have doubled, and shipowners are requiring advance payments or renegotiating charter terms mid-voyage.
Qatar, a major LNG exporter, instructed gas carriers to hold positions outside Hormuz until ready for loading. Several LNG vessels have anchored in the Gulf of Oman for extended periods, and port calls in Saudi Arabia have shortened to minimize exposure to risk zones.
Analysts attribute the jamming to deliberate state-level interference rather than onboard spoofing. The tactic mirrors similar patterns seen in other geopolitical hotspots, including the Black Sea and Taiwan Strait.
Hormuz is “Iran’s ultimate bargaining chip,” said Anoop Singh, global head of shipping research at Oil Brokerage Ltd., in comments to Bloomberg.
“The problem these days is that most ships use digitised systems, so if your GPS is jammed, then you have no real form of navigating other than by the seat of your pants,” said Jim Scorer, secretary general of the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations, in comments to Reuters.
