As Halloween approaches, we thought it was fitting to address a somewhat eerie side to the shipping industry: zombie ships.
What are zombie ships? And are they really as creepy as their name suggests? Follow along to find out more about these dark fleets.
What are Zombie Ships?
Zombie ships refer to vessels that assume the identity of retired ships to go under the radar and bypass the Automatic Identification System, or AIS, tracking system. Because they’re operating under false identities, these zombie ships appear to be legitimate vessels, which helps them conduct “dark fleet practices,” such as smuggling goods, avoiding maritime restrictions, and evading international sanctions.
A Recent Zombie Ship Sighting
On September 23, 2024, a zombie ship carrying crude oil appeared in a Northern Chinese port and then left after only partially unloading. It was an oil tanker with a registration number matching EM Longevity, a vessel that retired three years ago and was supposedly scrapped.
It’s unclear whether this zombie ship was the original EM Longevity resurrected from the graveyard–or, rather, scrapyard—or if it was another vessel in disguise. Either way, its registration number provided no information regarding vessel ownership, only fueling the mystery behind the vessel’s identity. And to further add to the confusion, the vessel, which originally sailed under Singapore, is now sailing under Etswani, a country that says it has problems with vessels flying its flag without permission.
While these dark fleets are taking to the seas for many reasons, experts believe the EM Longevity is involved in transporting sanctioned oil to Chinese refineries.
Contact Falvey Insurance Group to stay up-to-date on the state of the shipping industry.
