XPost: alt.politics.democrats, soc.culture.israel, alt.society.liberalism   
   XPost: talk.politics.guns, sci.geo.petroleum, free.biden.assholes   
   From: remailer@domain.invalid   
      
   In article    
      
   Oil tankers in the Red Sea are taking unusual actions amid the   
   Israel-Hamas war, shutting off their global tracking transponders —   
   called Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) — in an effort to   
   traverse the waters undetected.   
      
   “There’s been a big drop-off in tanker AIS signaling Israel as their   
   destination,” said Homayoun Falakshahi, senior oil analyst at global   
   trade intelligence firm Kpler. “In fact, we don’t see any crude-   
   carrying tankers doing so at the moment.”   
      
   The moves to evade detection come as shipping lines are also being   
   advised to wait further offshore with rocket attacks reported at the   
   ports of Ashdod and Eilat in Israel.   
      
   “Vessels calling Israel are advised to apply ballistic protection   
   measures,” global maritime risk management firm Ambrey wrote in a   
   note to clients on Saturday after a series of rocket sirens at the   
   Port of Ashdod. “In the event of a siren, crew members are advised   
   to take shelter.”   
      
   Ballistic protection can include a section of the vessel that has   
   armor or protective gear.   
      
   Falakshahi tells CNBC vessels are not only shutting off their   
   tracking systems while traveling but also in port as they unload   
   their crude or cargo.   
      
   He said data shows that the tanker Valfoglia discharged at the Port   
   of Haifa on October 24 while having its AIS signal off. “This is   
   unusual behavior and delays the information of a discharge,”   
   Falakshahi said.   
      
   Israeli authorities have advised the global shipping community that   
   they would be compensated for any war-related damages that occur   
   within the country’s economic waters. War risk surcharges for cargo   
   headed to Israel are now being added by some ocean carriers. So far,   
   no reports of attacks on oil tankers have been reported.   
      
   Israel has closed the Port of Ashkelon, the country’s biggest oil-   
   importing port, because of rocket attacks.  As a result of the war,   
   activity at the Port of Ashdod has dropped dramatically, but the   
   Port of Haifa which is located further north remains stable.   
      
   The Port of Ashdod is a major hub for potash and bromine exports   
   from Israel. Potash is a key component in fertilizer. Bromine is a   
   raw material used in textiles, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, food   
   and beverage making, energy generation, construction, and   
   electronics. ICL Group, a major Israel-based manufacturing company   
   that produces fertilizers, chemicals and metals for the agriculture,   
   food and material sectors, provides around a third of global bromine   
   supply.   
      
   According to Everstream Analytics, a global supply chain mapping and   
   risk analytics company which contributes to the CNBC Supply Chain   
   Heat Map, the Port of Ashdod has become a transport linchpin for ICL   
   Group   
    in recent years. ICL has indicated the export of some chemical   
   goods will likely be delayed even if local manufacturers keep   
   operations running in the coming weeks.   
      
   “Rockets are regularly fired at the Port of Ashdod in southern   
   Israel, the country’s second biggest port,” said Mirko Woitzik,   
   global director at Everstream. Operations at Ashdod have also slowed   
   down due to staffing shortages, with 10% of workers recruited into   
   the Army, he added.   
      
   The number of waiting vessels on a daily basis has dropped at Port   
   of Ashdod to below five since the outbreak of war compared to more   
   than 15 on average before the war, according to Everstream.   
      
   “This suggests that container lines are avoiding the Port of Ashdod,   
   and potentially relying more on the Port of Haifa instead,” Woitzik   
   said.   
      
   Evergreen was the first ocean carrier to divert a vessel bound for   
   the Port of Ashdod citing a “persisting unsafe situation” and   
   declared force majeure. This is a significant declaration because if   
   more vessels declare force majeure, it could impact Israel’s food   
   supply. The ports of Ashdod and Haifa are the key ports for food   
   imports. The country imports almost three times as much food and   
   agriculture than exports. Key imports included live animals for   
   meat, sugar, vegetable oils, grain, and feed.   
      
   At the Port of Haifa, the number of vessels is expected to rise as   
   more ships are likely to divert to Haifa.   
      
   Recent rocket fire has tankers docking and discharging cargo at   
   alternative ports. Last week, the Seaviolet called the Port of Eilat   
   instead of its original destination, Ashkelon. Kpler tells CNBC its   
   analysis suggests Israelis have reversed the Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline   
   flow so that oil can get to Ashkelon, and then to the Ashdod and   
      
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