Strait of Hormuz Ship Traffic Dwindles Amid Ongoing Mideast Tensions
The Strait of Hormuz has seen a significant decline in ship traffic, with only a dozen vessels transiting through it over the weekend. This is down from 35 vessels the previous week, according to shipping data. The strait is a crucial waterway for global oil and liquefied natural gas trade, handling about 125 large commercial vessels per day before the US-Israeli war with Iran started on February 28.
The visible traffic through the strait has dwindled to a trickle, but Middle Eastern producers continue to export oil on tankers traveling with their transponders off. Among trackable ships, four vessels exited the strait on Sunday, while two small-sized oil tankers entered the Gulf. Five vessels left the Gulf carrying agricultural products, liquefied petroleum gas, and fertiliser on Saturday.
The data was provided by analytics firm Kpler, which tracks ship traffic through the strait. The reduction in ship traffic is a result of ongoing tensions in the region, with the US and Iran in stalemate.