Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to its lowest level in months as escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran continue to disrupt one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
According to shipping data reviewed by Reuters, only three commodity vessels transited the strategic waterway on Thursday, marking the lowest daily movement since May.
The sharp decline follows renewed Iranian attacks on commercial vessels and the reimposition of a US blockade targeting Iran-linked shipping, prompting many ships to delay voyages or reverse course.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports passes, has witnessed a dramatic reduction in maritime activity, adding fresh pressure to global energy markets.
Data from Kpler showed that Miraan, a sanctioned fuel oil tanker, and Norita, a liquefied petroleum gas carrier, exited the strait via Iranian waters before stopping in the Gulf of Oman, where the US naval blockade remains in effect.
Meanwhile, Arolia, a bunkering tanker transporting Iraqi fuel oil for refuelling ships at sea, reportedly turned back into the Gulf only hours after leaving the strait, according to LSEG shipping data.
The slowdown has been stark. On Wednesday, just 11 vessels crossed the waterway, far below the pre-conflict daily average of around 125 ships. For a second consecutive day, no Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers were recorded passing through the strait.
However, two VLCCs carrying approximately two million barrels of crude oil each later
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