Strait of Hormuz Shipping Traffic Falls Sharply Below Average, Data Shows

Commodity vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, dropped to single digits per day over the weekend. This level is well below the 10-day average of 14 vessels per day, according to preliminary shiptracking data released Monday.

Weekend Traffic Details

The data indicated a total of 14 commodity vessels transited the strait over the two-day period. Ten vessels entered the Gulf, while four exited.

• Entering vessels included carriers of grain, metals, dry bulk, and other bulk commodities.
• Exiting vessels included a Suezmax tanker laden with crude or condensate, a vessel carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), a Supramax with fertilizer, and a Handysize vessel sailing without cargo.

These figures may not be exhaustive, as they exclude any vessels that could be navigating with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders deactivated to avoid detection.

Heightened Regional Tensions

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The slowdown coincides with reports of security incidents in the region. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported early Sunday that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The status of the crew and the extent of any damage were not immediately known.

Separately, Saudi officials confirmed that a drone attack originating from Iraq forced the temporary shutdown of the vital East-West oil pipeline. This pipeline serves as a key land-based alternative for bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. Traffic in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, another key waterway, remained stable near its 10-day average of 27 ships.

Market Context

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, accounting for the passage of approximately 20% of the world's daily crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply. Significant disruptions or sustained slowdowns in traffic can have immediate impacts on global energy prices and supply chain stability due to heightened risk premiums and potential delays.