Hormuz Traffic Grinds to Near-Halt as War Drags On

Since the start of the Middle East war six months ago, the Strait of Hormuz has remained largely paralysed. The strategic waterway is a crucial route for global oil and liquefied natural gas exports, with thousands of sailors still stranded in the Gulf. Commodity carrier traffic has plummeted to an average of 10 transits per day, compared to its normal level.

In February, Iran blocked the strait in response to joint US-Israeli strikes. According to AFP analysis of data from maritime tracker Kpler, commodity carrier traffic averaged 95 daily transits that month. However, after Iran closed the strait on March 1, this number dropped dramatically.

A temporary rebound occurred in June following an agreement signed by the United States and Iran, with traffic increasing to an average of 36 transits per day. But since hostilities resumed on July 8, traffic has plummeted once again, averaging just 15 transits per day until August 22.