Strait of Hormuz traffic plunges 95% since start of US-Iran war

The average number of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz stood at around six daily since the beginning of the US-Iran war. The war, which began when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, severely impacted one of the most strategic sea routes in the world. While the average number of vessels passing through the strait hovered around 100 before the war, the figure fell by approximately 95%.

Vessel statistics

The total number of vessels navigating the strait since the start of the conflict reached 532 between Feb. 28 and May 17, according to the IMF vessel tracker website PortWatch. The number of various tankers totaled 220 over the same period, with 25% of this amount passing on Feb. 28 alone. Other ships included general cargo vessels, container ships, roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessels, and dry bulk carriers.

Recent increase

The figure stood at 218 since the US blockade began in the region. However, the number of vessels passing through the strait increased during the last week. Iranian officials announced that around 20-25 vessels passed through the strait daily during the last week.

Conflict context

The war began when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation and was later extended indefinitely. Talks between the two sides continue through Pakistani mediation.