Middle East Tensions Reduce Strait of Hormuz Traffic

Tension persists in the Middle East as a dozen commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, down from 35 the previous weekend. This trickle of traffic is a stark contrast to the usual 125 large commercial vessels that pass through the strait daily.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway for global oil supplies, carrying around a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. However, with Iran and the US in stalemate, exports have dwindled to a trickle.

According to analytics firm Kpler, four vessels exited the strait on Sunday, including two tankers carrying refined oil products and two empty carriers for bulk goods and gas. Two small-sized oil tankers also entered the Gulf over the weekend.