Hormuz on edge: GPS blackouts, mine warnings rattle Indian seafarers

Indian seafarers operating through the Strait of Hormuz are navigating an increasingly perilous environment marked by GPS disruptions, warnings of underwater mines and the absence of a clear maritime authority.

Ships transiting the corridor are reporting repeated radio broadcasts cautioning vessels against passage. “Attention all ships... This is the Sepah Navy... navigation through Strait of Hormuz is forbidden... no ship is allowed to pass until further notice,” the messages warn, with crews attributing them to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.

At sea, these live warnings are directly influencing operational decisions. Captains describe a volatile and confusing situation, with growing reliance on manual navigation as satellite systems become unreliable.


Captain Manish Kumar, an Indian master mariner with 28 years of experience currently commanding a chemical tanker awaiting safe passage, underscored the risks. “Navigation is severely affected due to GPS. It is very difficult to determine the position of the vessel... If you miss the position in such narrow waters, the vessel can be grounded or collide.”

Modern shipping relies heavily on GPS for route planning and collision avoidance, making disruptions especially dangerous in constrained waterways like Hormuz.

Adding to the threat are alerts about naval mines — explosive devices triggered by contact or proximity. Ships are being guided through designated corridors to reduce risk. “There are arrows, entry and exit routes marked. It's like a designated passage,” Kumar said.

He described the current convergence of risks as unprecedented. “This combination - GPS issues, unclear timeline, and real threats out there - this is new.”

The stakes are further heightened by the nature of cargo. A majority of vessels passing through the strait are oil or chemical tankers carrying highly flammable loads, raising the potential for catastrophic explosions in the event of an incident.

Shipping firms have begun issuing daily “conflict intelligence briefs” to vessels, combining military advisories, open-source tracking data and proprietary risk assessments into real-time guidance.

A March 25 ‘Middle East Conflict Daily Security Intelligence Update’ urged “extreme caution”, flagging GPS interference, heightened port security and unconfirmed concerns over mine-laying activity. A day earlier, a Joint Maritime Information Center advisory classified the regional maritime threat level as “critical”, citing 21 confirmed incidents since March 1 and continued “navigation interference” across the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Gulf.

Traffic through the chokepoint has plunged sharply — from an average of around 138 vessels a day to just single digits — reflecting the mounting risks in one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.