Hormuz ship crossings drop to four

Vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to four on Tuesday, a significant decline from seven the previous day, according to preliminary shipping data released on Wednesday. This sharp decrease falls far below the 10-day average of 18, signaling a notable reduction in maritime traffic through this crucial waterway, which once handled one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply prior to the Iran war.

The drop in traffic comes amid intensified attacks in the region. Of the total ship crossings on Tuesday, two were exiting while two were entering the Strait of Hormuz. However, none of these were very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers, the types of vessels typically significant for supply chain stability. Some ships may not have been counted as they may have had their transponders turned off, thus falling outside the recorded data.

One notable exit was by the Salute, a very large gas carrier carrying approximately 470,000 barrels of liquefied petroleum gas, which left via the Iranian route. Another significant exit was by the Nautilus, a Panamax-sized tanker carrying around 510,000 barrels of naphtha, which also departed via an unknown dark route. On the entry side, two laden ships returned: one was a short-range dirty products tanker, and the other was a dry bulk carrier. Both entered through the Iranian route.

Meanwhile, the number of ships sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remained steady at 22 on Tuesday, showing little change from the 24 recorded the previous day.