The Omani dark shuttle route runs pay enough that a single trip can leave a crew member wealthy for life, HFI Research reports. And therefore, βwith a life-changing amount of money on the line, people will only be willing to take the risk a limited number of times.β
After recent weeks with over a dozen tankers being struck and multiple reported casualties, HFI reports that tanker companies are now struggling to recruit crews to carry oil out of the Persian Gulf, citing contacts involved in the trade.
The runs also reportedly depended on crews believing Iran was only hitting engine rooms and not killing anyone, according to HFI.
The Omani route contributes to the 14 million barrels of oil currently exiting the Persian Gulf each day. HFI expects those "shuttle volumes" to go "materially lower" as ships struggle to find seafarers.