As US-Iran war rages, who's risking the Strait of Hormuz?
Though Iran continues to attack vessels as leverage in its war with the United States, data show that several shippers continue to transit the waterway.
Since tensions escalated between the United States and Iran in March, the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the world's most perilous shipping lanes. Despite the crucial role the waterway plays in global oil trade, shipping activity never ceased. DW analyzed data from public sources to track changes in shipping traffic during the conflict and identify which vessels continue to traverse the hazardous strait.
The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), a US-led initiative, has rated the threat to shippers as "severe," its second-highest warning level. However, commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained at reduced levels, with vessels opting for either the southern Omani route or the northern Iranian-controlled passage.
DW's analysis of Global Fishing Watch data revealed that at least 84 ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz during the war, despite threats and attacks on vessels. This is despite the fact that ships can disable their automatic identification systems (AIS) transponders while navigating the strait. Of the 84 ships, 34 moved eastward into the Persian Gulf and 50 crossed the strait heading west out of the gulf.
Interestingly, only nine Iranian- and two Pakistani-owned ships transited under their respective national flags, while the remaining 73 vessels flew flags belonging to other countries. This suggests that shipping companies are motivated by financial considerations, as continuing to transit the Strait of Hormuz offers higher rewards than the risks involved.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Business)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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