Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz dropped sharply this week as renewed military tensions between Iran and the United States continued to disrupt one of the world’s most important energy corridors, according to maritime tracking data.
The latest data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler shows that only six commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, down from 11 ships on Tuesday and well below the current 10-day average of about 13 vessels per day.
The vessels that passed through the strait included two Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs), two Long-Range oil tankers, one Suezmax tanker, and one Panamax tanker, reflecting a significant slowdown in both oil and liquefied petroleum gas shipments through the waterway.
The decline comes as the confrontation between Iran and the United States has intensified around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting shipowners and energy companies to adopt additional security measures before entering the Gulf.
Industry analysts say many vessels have delayed departures, rerouted voyages, or waited outside the Gulf until security conditions become clearer. Maritime tracking experts also caution that the number of recorded transits may fluctuate because some commercial vessels temporarily switch off or limit their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmissions while sailing through high-risk areas.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints. Roughly a fifth of global oil consumption and a significant share of global liquefied natural gas exports pass through the narrow waterway.
The reduced traffic has renewed concerns about global energy supplies and shipping costs. International shipping companies have increased risk assessments for voyages through the Gulf, while insurers have reportedly raised premiums for vessels operating in the area.
The latest tensions follow renewed exchanges of military strikes between Iran and the United States in and around the Gulf, increasing fears that the conflict could threaten freedom of navigation through Hormuz.