Shipping slows through Strait of Hormuz after tanker attacks, data shows

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz experienced a slowdown over the weekend, according to data released on Monday, following attacks on tankers. This disruption came as US-Iran talks aimed at resolving the Middle East conflict faced setbacks. In the past weekend, only five commodity vessels traversed the strait, compared to 31 in the previous weekend, as per shiptracking data from Kpler.

Among these vessels was an empty Very Large Crude Carrier with its Automatic Identification System turned off, and an Indian-flagged Very Large Gas Carrier that utilized the Iranian route. One small tanker carrying Iranian fuel oil also exited the strait. The slowdown in shipping seemed to intensify following the UAE's report that three vessels operated by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company had been attacked while in transit last week.

The US has indicated its willingness to maintain a naval blockade of Iran indefinitely. While some ships might still pass through undetected with transponders switched off, the current figures are significantly lower than the over 130 ships per day that typically passed through the Strait of Hormuz prior to the war initiated by the US and Israel in February.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi of Iran stated on Saturday that Washington must fulfill Iran's conditions concerning the strait for shipping to resume. The UAE reported that an ADNOC vessel was attacked in Hormuz, assuring its commitment to defend navigation rights. The Strait of Hormuz, which handles a fifth of the world's shipments of crude oil and liquefied natural gas, saw a decrease in weekend transits by commodity vessels at the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

There were 49 such transits, down from 55 in the preceding week. Importantly, there were no recorded Saudi oil shipments.