Strait of Hormuz Traffic Drops Below 20 Ships Amid Blockades

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell sharply over the weekend, with fewer than 20 commodity vessels transiting the critical energy chokepoint as blockades imposed by Iran and the United States continued to restrict movement. According to shipping data released on Monday, August 24, 2026, initial figures from tracker Kpler showed that only four vessels crossed the strait on Sunday, August 23, following 13 transits on Saturday, August 22. The data indicated a significant decline from the 16 vessels that passed through on Friday, August 21.

The week ending August 21 saw a total of 103 vessels enter the strait and 89 exit, according to a report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency. This volume remains well below normal levels, with Automatic Identification System transits approximately 90 below preconflict baselines and declining since a peak in late June. Tanker traffic accounted for 45 of the weekly transits, including 56 tankers carrying crude oil, oil products, or chemicals, and 24 liquefied petroleum gas carriers. The agency has documented 23 incidents of projectile strikes on vessels in and around the strait since July 6, causing damage to bridges and...