Hormuz Shipping Plummets as Middle East Tensions Escalate

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has significantly decreased as tensions in the Middle East persist. According to data from analytics firm Kpler, only a dozen commodity vessels transited the strait over the weekend, down from 35 the previous weekend.

This represents a dramatic decline in traffic through the strait, which is a critical conduit for oil and liquefied natural gas exports. However, Middle East producers continue to export oil in tankers that have turned off their transponders to avoid detection.

The data shows that four vessels - two tankers carrying refined oil products and two empty carriers for bulk goods and gas - exited the strait on Sunday. Meanwhile, two small-sized oil tankers entered the Gulf.

Before the US-Israeli war with Iran started on February 28, the strait typically handled about 125 large commercial vessels per day.