Strait of Hormuz ship crossings remain in single digits, data shows

The Strait of Hormuz witnessed a sharp decline in vessel transits, recording only four crossings on Tuesday, down from seven the previous day, according to preliminary shipping data released on Wednesday. This significant drop, well below the 10-day average of 18, underscores the ongoing challenges in the region. The reduction in traffic is primarily attributed to intensified attacks in the waterway, which traditionally handles a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply before the Iran conflict.

On Tuesday, two vessels were exiting and two entering the Strait of Hormuz, as per the data. Notably, none of the ships involved were very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers. It is also observed that some vessels might be avoiding the waterway by turning off their transponders, hence not being counted. Among the notable crossings, the very large gas carrier Salute, carrying approximately 470,000 barrels of liquefied petroleum gas, exited via the Iranian route.

Additionally, the Panamax-sized tanker Nautilus, carrying around 510,000 barrels of naphtha, exited via an undisclosed darker route. Similarly, two laden ships entered the Strait, comprising a short-range dirty products tanker and a dry bulk carrier, both navigating through the Iranian route.

In contrast to the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait saw a stable number of 22 ships transiting through, maintaining little change from the previous day's figure of 24.