Oil tanker traffic through Hormuz at near standstill as attacks strain Iran truce

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has sharply declined, reaching a multi-week low due to renewed strikes between the United States and Iran, which have raised safety concerns for vessels in the area. Reports indicate that only six commodity tankers passed through the strait on Thursday, while 21 vessels transited on Wednesday, according to Kpler data reported by AFP. This significant drop in maritime activity is particularly pronounced through the UN-backed Omani passageway. The situation has deteriorated following recent attacks on vessels, prompting four oil and gas tankers to reverse their course. Since the signing of a truce on June 17, more than 500 ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, but many remain stuck, highlighting ongoing challenges faced by maritime traffic in the region. The only day with lower traffic since the truce was signed occurred on June 28, when just 19 ships crossed the strait, following an attack on a tanker off Oman. Andrew Wilson, head of research at BRS shipbrokers, indicated in a webinar that they anticipate only "ebbs and flows" of traffic through Hormuz "almost until the end of the year." The decline in shipping traffic is attributed to the fragile state of the truce between the US and Iran, as military actions and threats continue to jeopardize the safety of shipping routes. Data from the MarineTraffic tracking platform revealed that only four vessels, including one oil tanker and three container ships, crossed the strait recently, marking the lowest level of shipping traffic since the memorandum of understanding was signed on June 17. All four vessels had departed from ports in Oman and the United Arab Emirates.