Vessels trickle through Hormuz strait as Middle East conflict persists

The Strait of Hormuz, once bustling with around 125 large commercial vessels per day, now sees a mere trickle of traffic as the Middle East conflict continues. According to shipping data, only a dozen vessels made their way through the strait over the weekend, a stark contrast to the 35 vessels that passed through just a week prior. This dwindling activity highlights the tense situation in the Gulf, where the United States and Iran find themselves in a standstill.

Despite the reduced flow, Middle Eastern producers persist in exporting oil through tankers equipped with transponders. Four trackable ships - two refined oil product tankers and two empty carriers for bulk goods and gas - exited the strait on Sunday. Meanwhile, two small-sized oil tankers entered the Gulf, as reported by Kpler analytics firm.

On Saturday, five vessels carrying agricultural products, liquefied petroleum gas, and fertilizers left the Gulf, while an empty very large gas carrier entered. Prior to the US-Israeli war with Iran, which began on February 28, the strait typically accommodated about 125 large commercial vessels daily, including tankers, gas carriers, bulkers, and container vessels.

The ongoing conflict has forced Saudi Aramco to ramp up exports through the Strait of Hormuz this month and next, following a halt in some shipments via Yanbu. This move has enabled Opec's top producer to recover exports, reaching over 4 million barrels per day (bpd) in September, up from 2.4 million bpd in August, the lowest level since at least 2013.

Kpler data shows that 13 tankers, mostly very large crude carriers, exited the strait in the week of September 13, with Saudi Arabia contributing half of the exports and Iraq accounting for 35%.