Ship traffic through Strait of Hormuz drops after U.S. blockade

Singapore: Fewer vessels travelled through ​the Strait of ​Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day ​after the U.S. reimposed its naval blockade on Iranian ports with both countries escalating strikes across ‌the Gulf, ⁠shipping ⁠data showed.

Seven vessels crossed the strait on ​Wednesday, mostly on the Iranian route, down from 13 ​the previous day, Kpler data showed.

Hostilities have intensified since Iran said late on Saturday ​it had closed the ⁠Strait of ‌Hormuz. Military operations are ​keeping ships ​from travelling through the waterway, ⁠which carried about a fifth of global ​oil and gas shipments before ​the war.


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On Wednesday, four empty vessels entered the Gulf, including three small oil tankers and a dry bulk carrier for grains, the data showed. The three ‌vessels that exited the strait on Wednesday carried liquefied petroleum gas, ​coal and ​fuel oil.

On ⁠Tuesday, a Suezmax tanker carrying 1 million barrels of Saudi crude exited the strait with ​its transponder switched off, Kpler data showed.

There were no Very Large Crude Carrier or liquefied natural gas tankers passing through the strait on Wednesday.