Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz Falls Sharply Amid Escalation

By Staff, Agencies

Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly come to a standstill, with shipping data showing that only three commodity vessels transited the strategic waterway during the past 24 hours as of Friday, amid Iran's closure of the strait and renewed US military attacks.

According to Kpler data, the fuel oil tanker Miraan and the liquefied petroleum gas carrier Norita exited the strait on Thursday using the Iranian shipping route.

A third vessel, the bunkering tanker Arolia, carrying Iraqi fuel oil for ship-to-ship refueling, briefly exited the strait on Friday before turning back, according to LSEG shipping data.

No very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, marking the second consecutive day without such transits.

The latest figures represent a significant decline from Wednesday, when around a dozen vessels crossed the waterway, itself well below the pre-conflict average of approximately 125 vessels per day.

The renewed US military campaign against Iran has severely disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important routes for global oil and gas exports, contributing to higher international energy prices.

Most commercial vessels have reportedly either halted before entering the strait or reversed course following the US blockade on ships traveling to or from Iranian ports. Reports also indicate that US naval forces warned approaching vessels to turn back and disabled ships that refused to comply.

Although US President Donald Trump has maintained that the strait remains open to all shipping except Iranian vessels, recent maritime data indicate that normal commercial traffic has been largely suspended.

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps stated on Thursday that no oil or gas would be exported through the Strait of Hormuz for as long as US military attacks continue.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Ansarullah movement signaled that it is prepared to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait if the United States expands its attacks on Iran's civilian infrastructure.