Hormuz traffic nearly halts as fresh US-Iran strikes rattle shipping

Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed to a near standstill early Thursday after fresh US strikes on Iran and renewed attacks on commercial vessels again shook confidence in the world’s most important energy chokepoint. Observable vessel movements were largely concentrated along an Iranian-approved route closer to the northern side of the strait, while the US-backed Omani corridor was quiet, according to ship tracking data. Among larger vessels, only a US-sanctioned supertanker heading out of the Persian Gulf and an Iranian-flagged container ship were seen in the waterway.

Sharp reversal

The slowdown marks a sharp reversal from the brief recovery that followed the interim US-Iran agreement in mid-June, which had reopened the strait and allowed delayed cargoes to begin clearing the Gulf. Some 14 commodity carriers crossed the strait in both directions on Wednesday, the lowest number since the interim peace deal was reached, according to Kpler data. Average daily transits stood at 34 in the three weeks after the deal, peaking at 59 on June 24. LNG tanker movements remained stalled, with two empty vessels recently entering the Gulf of Oman and heading toward the eastern entrance of Hormuz.

Wider disruption

The disruption followed a new wave of attacks on ships near the strait, including a Qatari LNG carrier and Saudi-linked crude tanker, prompting US strikes on Iranian targets. President Trump also declared the ceasefire with Iran “over.” Recent ship-tracking reports identified several vessels affected, including QatarEnergy-controlled LNG carriers that turned away from the strait, and an Indian-flagged VLCC carrying Kuwaiti crude that made a U-turn off Oman. The Strait of Hormuz carries about 20 million barrels per day of crude and oil products, making any prolonged disruption a major risk for global energy markets.