Hormuz traffic slows after Iran threatens retaliation for US attacks

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed at the beginning of the week following Iran's threat to retaliate for any new US attacks, according to Kpler data released on Tuesday. On Monday, only seven commodity vessels were recorded sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, down from eight vessels on the previous day. Iran had warned that energy infrastructure across the Gulf, including US oil and gas interests, could be vulnerable to such attacks.

Despite the slowdown in the Strait of Hormuz, traffic increased in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, another crucial waterway for commodity vessels. On Monday, 29 commodity vessels passed through the Bab el-Mandeb, an increase from 17 vessels the day before, as reported by Kpler data. It is noted that some vessels may be sailing through both straits with their transponders turned off, a circumstance not accounted for in the traffic counts.