Strait of Hormuz Traffic Drops to Under 10 Vessels Daily

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil and gas shipments, has seen shipping traffic drop to fewer than 10 vessels per day from a prewar average of around 130, as dual blockades by Iran and the United States persist amid their conflict that began on February 28.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy mined approaches to the strait, boarded and fired on merchant ships, and declared it closed to vessels linked to the United States, Israel, and their allies following the start of Operation Epic Fury at the end of February. After ceasefire talks collapsed in Islamabad on April 11, the United States imposed its own naval blockade on April 13, directing ships to or from Iranian ports to turn back. By late April, U.S. Central Command had turned away 42 vessels. Between March 1 and April 27, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center recorded 41 incidents, including 26 attacks that damaged ships or crew through direct hits or shrapnel from intercepted drones, plus nine near-misses.

Commercial traffic remains minimal despite an April 8 ceasefire agreement, averaging six to seven vessels daily in recent days, mostly dry bulk carriers transiting Iranian waters,...