India has rejected claims that the Indian-flagged tanker Sanmar Herald made cash or cryptocurrency payments to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, after social-media posts linked the vessel’s reported April 18 incident to a fake clearance scheme. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a “Fake News Alert”, while the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Sanmar Shipping also said no such payment was made.
The rebuttal matters because a maritime security incident became entangled with a digital-asset fraud narrative, creating reputational and operational risk for shipping companies moving through one of the world’s most sensitive energy corridors. The Sanmar Herald and another Indian-flagged vessel turned back after being fired upon while attempting passage through Hormuz; no crew injuries were reported.
Fraud claims met official denials
Indian officials sought to separate the confirmed security event from the unverified crypto-payment allegation. Mukesh Mangal, additional secretary at the shipping ministry, said no payments were made, and Sanmar Shipping described the reports as false. The ministries also said they were coordinating on risk assessments before stranded vessels resumed transit.
Separately, maritime risk firm MARISKS warned that fraudsters were impersonating Iranian authorities and demanding Bitcoin or Tether for supposed safe passage. Reuters reported that the messages claimed to offer clearance through the Strait of Hormuz, but MARISKS said they were not from Iranian officials. Reuters also said it could not independently confirm which shipping firms, if any, had been affected.
Crypto adds a new layer to maritime risk
For shipowners, insurers and compliance teams, the episode shows how geopolitical disruption can be exploited through payment fraud and impersonation. A fake clearance request can mimic official process, extract vessel documentation and pressure operators into sending irreversible crypto transfers during a high-stress transit window.
The practical response is straightforward. Shipping companies should verify all transit instructions through official government and port channels before responding to any payment demand, especially those requesting BTC or USDT. For digital-asset risk managers, the case also highlights the need to monitor wallet-based extortion attempts tied to geopolitical chokepoints, even when specific viral claims are denied.
