Strait of Hormuz Shipping Drops to Six Vessels

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to just six vessels on Monday, marking a two-month low as security concerns intensify and diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran stall. The sharp decline, reported by multiple shipping data providers, underscores the severe disruption to one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints amid ongoing regional conflict.

According to data from Kpler cited by Reuters, only six commodity vessels transited the strait in either direction on Monday, down from a recent 10-day average of about 11 ships. Four vessels moved inbound into the Persian Gulf, including two empty product tankers, while two exited outbound, carrying energy products such as liquefied petroleum gas and residual fuels. This represents a dramatic drop from prewar levels, when approximately 130 to 140 ships typically passed through the strait daily.

The traffic slump follows the collapse of a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding that had briefly allowed for a tentative reopening of the chokepoint between mid-June and early July. Security conditions have deteriorated in recent weeks, with Iran asserting control over vessels transiting the strait and...