Hormuz Shipping Sees Surge Amid Ongoing Tensions

Despite ongoing Middle East tensions, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has increased, according to data from maritime intelligence firm Windward. On July 29, 20 vessels crossed the strait, with 10 inbound and 10 outbound transits. Fifteen vessels were visible through the Automatic Identification System (AIS), while five were classified as dark or operating without normal transmissions.

Among the outbound vessels was the Al Areesh, which carried Qatar's first liquefied natural gas shipment through the strait in around three weeks. The ADNOC-chartered LNG carrier Mraweh entered the Gulf while operating dark after briefly reappearing on AIS following an 18-day gap.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said American military escorts were helping energy shipments continue through the waterway, with around 6.5 million barrels of oil per day exiting the Gulf over the past week. Twenty-four of 85 Gulf-side tankers, or 28%, were transmitting identities that differed from their tracked cargo profiles, indicating a fleet-wide sanctions-evasion practice.